Track is dead, but land still hot

TULALIP – If state officials want to build a new college on land once considered for a NASCAR track, they’d better hurry, Marysville Mayor Dennis Kendall said Friday.

He expects the land to be snapped up soon by developers interested in a variety of projects.

“The racetrack concept is no longer on the map,” but the excitement and national attention sparked by being named the preferred site for NASCAR definitely put Marysville on the map, Kendall said. “Our involvement attracted national business interest in the area.”

Kendall made his comments at a Greater Marysville-Tulalip Chamber of Commerce breakfast at the Tulalip Casino, telling attendees the city still has some strong economic options even though NASCAR has left town.

His comments came three days after area lawmakers introduced a bill in the Legislature that would establish a four-year university in north Snohomish County. Asked whether the NASCAR site would be a good home for a learning institution, Kendall said quick action will be needed.

“If they want a college, they’d better go out and option that land today,” he said. “The way Snohomish County is going, that land is going to be sold in chunks.”

Kendall said the city expects the site to be developed with a combination of light industry and commercial and retail businesses. And that site isn’t the only one with high business interest, Kendall said.

In the unincorporated Lakewood area west of I-5, where the city is about to annex 500 acres, two major big-box stores “are ready to go,” Kendall said.

He declined to name the stores, saying he would let them make the announcement. But he did say the area “will see immediate development.”

The area is across the freeway from Smokey Point, where Wal-Mart has announced plans for a new store.

In addition to the three big-box stores, Marysville also expects to see construction begin within 90 days on a new WinCo Foods market planned as the anchor tenant for a shopping center off 116th Street NE. Kendall added that the development will include “a couple of major restaurants.”

He said the time spent evaluating the NASCAR proposal, which was rejected by the city and county because of the large taxpayer cost, developed some great partnerships.

With a new outlet mall opening this summer just north of the Tulalip Casino, Marysville will have to look at tourism as a key aspect of its economy, Kendall said.

“We need to bring those people to the other side of the freeway as well,” he said of Tulalip visitors. “We need to work together. We’ll be working closer and closer on that.”

Herald writer Mike Benbow: 425-339-3459 or benbow@heraldnet.com.

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