Bruton Smith's Speedway Motors Inc. Sues City of Concord, North Carolina

[cjforumadmin]

http://www.bangshift.com/blog/Bruton-Smith-Sues-City-of-Concord-North-Carolina.html

[Schtauffer]

Re: Bruton Smith's Speedway Motors Inc. Sues City of Concord, North Carolina

Go Bruton! I admire him just about as much as anyone currently in motorsports.

That being said, I would really drag my feet before getting into a deal with him.

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Bruton Smith's Speedway Motors Inc. Sues City of Concord, North Carolina

In my opinion the best part of the story seems to be the fact that the bully got it stuck to him by the people he was pushing around. Apparently, according to some other stories I have since read, it is in black and white in the contract that the city has 40 years to pay him back. They must have missed that before signing.

The guy built the greatest drag strip on Earth, bar none, but to take an entire city and it's residents essentially hostage to do it, by threatening their way of life and essentially their existence?

It seems like the city is having the last laugh now.

Brian

[SuperBuickGuy]

Re: Bruton Smith's Speedway Motors Inc. Sues City of Concord, North Carolina

So your definition of justice is to stick it to whomever you deem to be rich? that's not justice.

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: Bruton Smith's Speedway Motors Inc. Sues City of Concord, North Carolina

bruton , the only man keeping race facilities fresh
he should get better lawyers than those bumpkins in mecklenberg county

[Turbo Regal]

Re: Bruton Smith's Speedway Motors Inc. Sues City of Concord, North Carolina

My brother, a friend and I were at that race this past weekend. This track is a palace! Hats off to Smith for doing the sport a favor by building this right.

The one thing I can't figure out: It is across the street from Lowe's Motor Speedway. How is it any louder than any of the races that take place over there?

[dieselgeek]

Re: Bruton Smith's Speedway Motors Inc. Sues City of Concord, North Carolina

So your definition of justice is to stick it to whomever you deem to be rich? that's not justice.

damn well stated! hats off to you.

[kevracer]

Re: Bruton Smith's Speedway Motors Inc. Sues City of Concord, North Carolina

SMI claims that there was never a formalized agreement

some other stories I have since read, it is in black and white in the contract that the city has 40 years to pay him back

so which is it? Is Bruton that stupid?

[Brad54]

Re: Bruton Smith's Speedway Motors Inc. Sues City of Concord, North Carolina

In my opinion the best part of the story seems to be the fact that the bully got it stuck to him by the people he was pushing around. Apparently, according to some other stories I have since read, it is in black and white in the contract that the city has 40 years to pay him back. They must have missed that before signing.

The guy built the greatest drag strip on Earth, bar none, but to take an entire city and it's residents essentially hostage to do it, by threatening their way of life and essentially their existence?

It seems like the city is having the last laugh now.

Brian

I dunno... I was up there last year, and there were a few billboards that said things like "We have 80 million reasons to vote the city council out."
Barry Grant has a shop there, and I asked about it. In a nutshell, he said Smith had all the permits pulled and was breaking ground on the drag strip, with no money kicked in by the city, when the city council decided to halt construction, saying they didn't think they wanted all the noise of a drag strip.
In short order, Smith informed the City Fathers that there were now several other municipalities that were happy to have the noise of his drag strip and a relocated Lowes Motor Speedway, and they were offering large incentives. When the dust settled, Smith had the drag strip he was originally going to build with his own money, and a sizeable chunk of incentive money from Concord to keep the track there.
Seems like the city fathers of Concord decided they were going to shit in the feedbag of the Goose that lays the golden egg, and it backfired on them.

Concord's economy is way, way more than just the speedway--there are NASCAR teams, engine shops, parts shops and manufacturers up there that are the lifeblood of that town. All the gas stations that people fill up at, the restaurants they eat luch at every day, the contractors that erect the shops and install the equipment... If the speedway goes away, everything else will follow. Hell, the twice a year Charlotte Auto Fair brings millions into the town coffers. Seems like Bruton should be able to do anything he wants in that town short of running a brothel staffed by 14 year olds. If the man says "I wanna build a drag strip, with my own money, on land I already own, and bring even more money into this little burg," the only thing they should say is "Thank you, sir."

-Brad