Snohomish County residents are going to get their chance to tell state legislators face to face exactly what they think about the NASCAR racetrack proposed for Marysville.
Lt. Gov. Brad Owen said Wednesday that a joint House and Senate committee from Olympia will come to Marysville to hear from supporters and opponents of the $250 million, 850-acre project.
The work session will be 6-8 p.m. Nov. 10 in the Marysville-Pilchuck High School auditorium.
The committee will hear from recognized groups on both sides of the issue.
Opponent groups that have been invited to speak include Snohomish County Citizens Against a Racetrack, or SCAR, the Arlington Airport Pilots Association and homeowners associations from the Gleneagle and Berry Farm developments.
Supporters invited to speak include Fans United for NASCAR, or FUN, the Snohomish County Labor Council and the Economic Development Council of Snohomish County. The Tulalip Tribes also will be asked to make a presentation about environmental issues regarding the track site.
Legislators are expected to ask the presenters questions.
Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon said he is pleased the legislators are coming. “I want to make sure my citizens have access to it,” he said.
Eyleen Shouman, a SCAR member, said she appreciated the opportunity but wished the committee would not limit citizen input.
“We would like more of the people affected to get a chance to speak,” she said.
Her husband, Jack Shouman, is president of the Gleneagle homeowners board, but the board has yet to take a position on the track, and therefore he might not be able to speak, she said.
Reardon said the hearing-style format was not up to him, but is commonly used in the Legislature.
Even though Reardon supports the concept of bringing NASCAR here, he emphasized that if the economics, infrastructure and environmental issues don’t work, he will back away from the proposal. Studies of each are continuing, as are negotiations with the International Speedway Corp.
The Florida-based racetrack developer offered to pay $50 million, plus cost overruns, for the project at a hearing with the same legislative committee earlier this month in Olympia.
“By no means is this a done deal,” Reardon said.
Reporter Scott Morris: 425-339-3292 or smorris@heraldnet.com.
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