Daytona International Speedway got the go-ahead from the Daytona
Beach Planning Board Thursday evening to undertake a complete rebuild of the historic
speedway's main grandstand. The board gave unanimous approval to a plan
submitted by the speedway and parent company International Speedway Corporation
outlining a rebuild of the front stretch grandstand, along with new spectator entrances,
vendor areas and restrooms.
The upgrade could also feature a series of new escalators
designed to carry fans to the upper levels of the DIS grandstands, and a total
reworking of the track’s exterior facade.
The project is Part One of a projected motorsports/retail
complex on speedway grounds that could eventually include new hotels, nightclubs,
restaurants, movie theatres and approximately two million square feet of retail
space; all designed to transform the speedway into a year-round destination.
The project would entail the current speedway property and more than 600
additional acres of land on either side of International Speedway Boulevard.
Speedway president Joie Chitwood, III, said the project still
needs approval from the ISC Board of Directors, and is unlikely to begin until at
least the fall of 2013.
I'm all for any improvements that will make a racetrack more fan friendly. I typically attend 2-3 races a year with Watkins Glen being my home track. I had the pleasure to attend the Daytona 500 in 2007 and it did not disappoint.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I haven't been back because it was, by far, the most expensive race I have ever attended. This is even after staying in a family friends time share for $50/night and living off of cold cuts all weekend. I have since decided to go to tracks I have never been to before since making the Daytona trip is so expensive.
I can only imagine that a project of this size will ultimately be passed on to the average race fan to cover the costs. It seems that while some tracks are doing everything in their powers to make it cheaper for a fan (or family of fans) to attend a live race- others are getting more and more money hungry. Shopping plazas, fine dining and fancy seating are nice- but give me a well laid out souvenir trailer lot, a hassle fee hotdog stand, and cheaper ticket prices and I will be happier than ever (and more likely to return).
Anonymous, you can't fight market reality.
DeleteDaytona's my home track, and I know all about spending too much money over there. But I also understand that it's Daytona, "The World Center of Racing", and when your going to the 500, our "Super Bowl", you have to expect to pay more than anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteThat place has always been the flagship, the standard bearer for all American racetracks, and they need to keep moving forward to stay on top. Not only are they competing with Texas, Vegas, Bristol (hmmm, all SMI) as facilities, but also all of the new baseball & football stadiums that have come along in the last 20, but especially 5-10, years.
They've re-done the infield, they've re-done the race track, the stands are next. They're taking the more bang approach, instead of less bucks.
I hope they do something with the Daytona USA / Experience thing. It needs to go back to being about all the racing at Daytona, not just NASCAR.