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NASCAR Hall of Fame

cityboi

By cityboi
in Charlotte

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atlrvr Metropolitan Area

atlrvr

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If we don't get it, then maybe Humpy will buy the rights to use the design for his own auto-racing museum......to be honest, I would prefer that anyways.

It has never sat right with me that this museum is tied to a specific corporation. It keeps getting compared to the other pro-sports hall of fames, but those Hall's aren't connected to the NBA, NFL, MLB, and embrace athletes that played the respective sport in any professional league. (NFL or AFL, NBA or ABA or CBA, etc)

It also concerns me if NASCAR at some-point goes belly-up in the future. Are we then contractually tied to operate a museum for a defunct company?

A broad auto-racing, or even "stock-car" racing museum has always been a more logical approach, and I see no reason that the state would commit the funds other than the fact that everybody is star struck by the word NASCAR.

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HopHead
HopHead

Ummmm, It's the NASCAR Hall of Fame... Not the Knight Theater. I suppose a nice blank wall and two checkered doors would be a better look? Maybe a sushi restaurant instead?

Urbanity
Urbanity

The recession is an obvious partial culprit in the failure of the HOF to meet expectations, but I really think a bigger problem lies with CRVA and the organizers and there disconnect from realistic ex

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guy4charlotte Whistle-Stop

guy4charlotte

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If we don't get it, then maybe Humpy will buy the rights to use the design for his own auto-racing museum......to be honest, I would prefer that anyways.

It has never sat right with me that this museum is tied to a specific corporation. It keeps getting compared to the other pro-sports hall of fames, but those Hall's aren't connected to the NBA, NFL, MLB, and embrace athletes that played the respective sport in any professional league. (NFL or AFL, NBA or ABA or CBA, etc)

It also concerns me if NASCAR at some-point goes belly-up in the future. Are we then contractually tied to operate a museum for a defunct company?

A broad auto-racing, or even "stock-car" racing museum has always been a more logical approach, and I see no reason that the state would commit the funds other than the fact that everybody is star struck by the word NASCAR.

Yeh--maybe Humpy Wheeler will toss in that $50 mil he offered for building a monorail out to Lowe's and help fund a Motorsports Museum--we really do need some "activities" downtown to attract conventions.

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peaceloveunderstanding Town

peaceloveunderstanding

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Yeh--maybe Humpy Wheeler will toss in that $50 mil he offered for building a monorail out to Lowe's and help fund a Motorsports Museum--we really do need some "activities" downtown to attract conventions.

Note. Wheeler isn't proposing that museum. Bruton Smith is.

Wheeler is just Smith's right hand man.

The best overall scenario would be a science and technology museum like the one in Chicago. That would be awesome and everyone would be interested in that.

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redjeep77 Whistle-Stop

redjeep77

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I still think that charlotte has it in the bag. I have said this all along. The frances' know that they can add so many changes before the straw breaks on the camel's back. This one may be the one where NASCAR traditional fans say "peace" to nascar and a new league starts up. This is similar to what happened with CART and IRL (which split in the mid 90's). This would be DEVISTATING to NASCAR. All they would be left with are the "new" fans who really don't know much about the sport and tend to be fair weathered. Like someone mentioned before, those types of fans tend to be fair weathered and will leave when the "nascar craze" has subsided.

I'd say that it's about a 90% chance that this thing gets built in charlotte.

by the way...here is an interesting website. http://www.thenascarhalloffame.com/

-check out the article from the guy in orlando. I agree with what he says. If this thing is going to be built in daytona, then we will know by the end of feb 19th.

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RiverwoodCLT Burg

RiverwoodCLT

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NASCAR is now trying get a new image, leaving the people how help build NASCAR out in the cold. NO red necks are welcome in their new plan. It this comes about, I don't think we would want it ,because

a large number of fans would not go to any NHOF, where ever it is.

We would have a building taking up land that we could use for a better cause.

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monsoon Gigalopolis

monsoon

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Do you think NASCAR is just using Charlotte's bid to bump up the free $$$ they can squeeze out of Atlanta??

Of course they are. Like all professional sports, it is all about money and how good a deal you can get by working cities against each other. If this wasn't the case, George Shinn would still be here with the Hornets. Once they have ATL's best offer, expect them to come back here.

If the GA Legislature gets involved, it will be interesting to see if the NC Legislature might get involved as well. This is one case where the NC Legislature, though it hates to finance stuff for Charlotte, might change its mind as it hates even more to lose out to GA. Remember it was the NC Legislature that kicked Suntrust's ass back to GA when it tried to take over Wachovia.

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guy4charlotte Whistle-Stop

guy4charlotte

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Of course they are. Like all professional sports, it is all about money and how good a deal you can get by working cities against each other. If this wasn't the case, George Shinn would still be here with the Hornets. Once they have ATL's best offer, expect them to come back here.

If the GA Legislature gets involved, it will be interesting to see if the NC Legislature might get involved as well. This is one case where the NC Legislature, though it hates to finance stuff for Charlotte, might change its mind as it hates even more to lose out to GA. Remember it was the NC Legislature that kicked Suntrust's ass back to GA when it tried to take over Wachovia.

Unfortunately timing is everything--Georgia's legislature is currently in session, and they have several bills in play to help ATL get this. NC's legislature doesn't meet again until May. A "special session" can be called by the governor, but I don't think that is likely in this case, especially not just to get into a "bidding war."

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ElricSeven Hamlet

ElricSeven

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But hopefully more people in GA will start questioning whether they want their legislature doing all this for NASCAR. Here's an interesting editorial from the AJC in that regard:

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion...07ednascar.html

Which makes me wonder why we would want it. Of course we've got more of a lack of identity problemm than Atlanta does.

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guy4charlotte Whistle-Stop

guy4charlotte

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FYI--Over 118,000 fans have voted so far on the HOF opinion poll on NASCAR's official website, and a whopping 58% (over 68,000) want the HOF to be in CLT!! Only 10% (barely 12,000) have voted for it to be in ATL, and 32% say Daytona. Obviously just another unscientific internet poll, but this is on NASCAR's official site, and the voters are most likely fairly hard-core fans. I do think NASCAR will at least consider what their fans want, and interestingly enough, most of the drivers polled this week in Daytona also want it to be here. I know money talks, and NASCAR is making a business decision, but still and yet maybe the fan and driver support for CLT will outweigh ATL's advantages in terms of foot traffic and possibly any new $$ incentives the GA legislature comes up with. Oh and just in case you haven't already voted, here's the link to the NASCAR poll:

http://www.nascar.com/2006/news/headlines/...fame/index.html

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guy4charlotte Whistle-Stop

guy4charlotte

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Tom Sorenson just interviewed Brian France, NASCAR CEO, who had this to say:

"Charlotte has shown an enormous amount of commitment and support and industry support. And that's in competition with an extraordinary location (Atlanta) and (being) part of the World of Coke and the aquarium and a bigger city. We have to balance the benefits of both markets. And then Daytona has a list of benefits -- kicking off the (Daytona) 500 every year and the induction ceremonies. The three markets have really made it tough."

I don't know how to read France--after his visit to ATL I got the impression he wanted the HOF to go there if they would just show the kind of "commitment" (i.e., $$$) that CLT has shown. Now I'm wondering if all that praise about ATL's "extraordinary location" is meant to make them feel better when they don't get it. If NASCAR does choose CLT, NASCAR can always point to the $$ issue as the deciding factor if the GA legislature doesn't match CLT's offer, and they can even say. hey we told you CLT had better financing and you didn't step up to the plate. However, if ATL matches or surpasses CLT on the money then I think that will make this a harder decision for NASCAR.

Here's a link to the article and interview:

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews...ts/13897015.htm

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guy4charlotte Whistle-Stop

guy4charlotte

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This just in from Sports Illustrated's website (SI.com), quoting the Winston-Salem Journal:

"Might NASCAR be moving its headquarters from Daytona Beach, Fla., to Concord, N.C.? That's the speculation here, with NASCAR buying more land in the Concord area, where it already has a significant presence, with its research-and-development center. Any such NASCAR move could be related to its plans for a Hall of Fame near Charlotte." -- Winston Salem Journal

Things just keep getting more and more interesting.....I am beginning to feel cautiously optimistic!

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graydog Hamlet

graydog

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In the Observer article with Sorensen, France said a decision would come in a month. One month from now is the Spring Atlanta race.

NASCAR fans and drivers like their history and NASCAR likes the money. I've followed the sport for about 10 years and it's always the case that NASCAR does what's good for the business.

I'm betting the HOF goes to Atlanta because it will help expand the sport. The delay is to get more $ from GA. I'm also guessing we see a consolation prize to Charlotte, such as another NASCAR division or perhaps the HQ. My guess is that France's April Charlotte visit will be to sooth feelings and announce a larger Concord presence.

Anyway, I'm off to watch the truck race.

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discoverdilworth Unincorporated Area

discoverdilworth

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The HOF should go to Atlanta where it belongs, which is the best thing that could happen to uptown Charlotte. The prospects for a real downtown here are too exciting to be ruined by yet another building occupying precious real estate with the promise of bringing a few out-of-towners. This project will not make this city the urban, pedestrian friendly city that it aspires to be. Let Atlanta enjoy it.

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