| The board of directors of the Homebuilders Association of Kitsap County (HBA) recently voted unanimously to endorse, in principle, the concept of bringing a NASCAR speedway to Kitsap County. The endorsement came after a presentation from Grant Lynch of Great Western Sports, a subsidiary of International Speedway Corporation (ISC), which is proposing to build the $336 million facility just south of Bremerton National Airport.
The HBA board is aware that a number of items in the funding proposal presented to the state legislature by ISC still remain to be clarified and detailed, but believes that based on research presented by the Checkered Flag Club as well as the results complied by the county’s own Speedway Task Force, that the economic benefits to the county are enormous and that the proposal deserves the organization’s support.
“The board was impressed with the proposal and the positive impact to our local economy as well as our community,” stated HBA Executive Vice President Art Castle.
The concept of a NASCAR speedway in Kitsap County has also been endorsed by a growing list of business groups that already includes the Bremerton, Port Orchard, Silverdale, North Mason and Shelton Chambers of Commerce, as well as the Kitsap Economic Development Council and the Pacific Northwest International Trade Alliance. A number of highly visible local, private sector firms such as Leader International Corp. Dick Vlist Motors and Chico Towing have also signed on in support, as has the Tacoma-based Harold E. LeMay Museum, owners of one of the premier automotive collections in the world.
The HBA board understands that if the proposal is approved by the legislature in the 2007 session, that issues including financing, infrastructure, environmental and “quality of life” concerns, all must be addressed. |
