I have spent a great deal of time considering this issue. As a land use planner for both cities and the private sector I have sifted through all of the rhetoric one hears around NASCAR and have come to the opinion that it would be far better than the alternatives.
One only needs to look at what happened to the Green River Valley (Kent) to understand why. It is a landscape of rooftops and asphalt, land uses that dump peak hour trips on the transportation system every day, miles of impervious surfaces, and as a result, environmental impacts 24-7.
What I do know is that something will happen in this area and we have the opportunity to choose the best alternative. Why not have several hundred acres of previous grass parking area that allow water back into the groundwater system – areas that could be used for sports fields during non-event times, a restored Edgecomb Creek, mostly non-peak hour trips, and retail businesses that pump sales tax into our ever-hungry economy? NASCAR has a number of success stories in other communities like Kansas City, Kan., and those from our community who have visited other sites have been quietly impressed.
Nobody believes that ISC’s motives are altruistic and the real issue is how much of the burden, if any, should the taxpayers shoulder and negotiating a fair deal will require clear and objective thinking from our legislators. I would advise state lawmakers to scrutinize very carefully the immediate and the long-range benefits of this project. After six years, most people in Kansas are very glad they helped finance the facility.
John W. Burkholder
Everett
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