Bad news for AZ Motorsports Park

[mikiec]

This was posted on FFCobra.com....


Next, bad news from ASRA. The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has shut down Arizona Motorsports Park.

This article is reproduced from the Arizona Republic, January 22, 2004

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors ordered the closure of a controversial West Valley racetrack Wednesday, saying track officials misled the county when they obtained an operating permit in 2001.

"I was under the clear understanding . . . that this was going to be a non-commercial track," said Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox, D-District 5 of Phoenix. "I feel I wasn't told the truth."

It was a surprise victory for opponents of the Arizona Motorsports Park near Camelback and Reems roads west of Litchfield Park. More than 100 residents who have been complaining about track noise broke into raucous applause
Wednesday after the board's unanimous vote to yank the operating permit.


But to the owners of the $6.5 million facility, the board's action was a "Draconian" step that will likely spark a lawsuit.

"There are clearly some very significant legal ramifications to this,"
said Scott Rose, attorney for track owner Dan Maloney. "They put my client in a position of having to look at all his legal remedies. He has a $6.5 million investment in this property. He isn't just going to walk away from it."

The Board of Supervisors approved the track's permit in 2001. But when it opened for business last spring with a Sports Car Club of America racing event, residents immediately began complaining about the noise of revving engines on the 2-mile course just south of Luke Air Force Base.

"There has been no evidence whatsoever that the noise level has been reduced," said Goodyear resident Sanford Hertz. "We have to put up with this and it's totally unnecessary."

Opposition grew more intense when a resident obtained a videotape of the 2001 Board of Supervisors meeting, during which a track official claimed the facility would be a non-commercial venue with only street-legal cars like passenger vehicles raced by Maloney. That tape was played for the board
on Wednesday.

Rose said the comment was an "unfortunate" remark, but said Maloney's permit application made it clear that up to 200 people could be at the track, along with off-duty police officers for security.

"The intent was clear," Rose said.

But supervisors said Wednesday they didn't like being misled by a track official, regardless of what the permit application said.

"Anybody who stands at that podium, we count very heavily what they say," said Supervisor Max Wilson, R-District 4 of Litchfield Park.

Supervisor Don Stapley, R-District 2 of Scottsdale, said he never would havevoted in favor of the track if he knew it would be hosting large-scale events with modified race cars.

The assurance of street-legal vehicles "was, in fact, the deciding issue in my mind," Stapley said.

Although he is pondering legal action, Maloney can also apply for a new permit from the county.

William Perkins of the Audi Club of North America said the effort would be worth it.

"This is one of the best tracks I have been on for the purposes of
safety," Perkins said. "It's a wonderful facility, and it does draw people."

[mikiec]

Most of the people against the track also want to shut down Luke Air Force base so the developers can have the land for their purpose.

While I have not been out to AMP, I have been told there are no homes within 2 miles of the track.

Mike

[need4speed]

I used to work out at Luke right before I got out of the Air Force in the early 80's and even back then I remember the idiots that just bought houses in the general area and began complaining about the noise and wanting to shut the base down. Sounds like they still need to get a clue. I have not been out to AMP yet but I know there is absolutely no way that it is louder than a bunch of F16's taking off every day of the week. Heck if the planes were flying on AMP racedays you may not even be able to hear the cars as they fly over.

I wonder why the supervisors have not targeted Firebird Raceway yet since there are so many homes out there now? This is exactly what I have come to expect from our county supervisors (remember the Bank One Ballpark fiasco?) who have hidden agendas and could care less about what makes sense. The folks at AMP should start building up grassroots army of folks that support their position ASAP and the other track owners ought to support them as well to keep this from happening to them.

Alan

[Paul Gillespie]

What bunch crap!!!!!! Damn NAZIs! As a form of protest we cruz camelback at 25 MPH in first gear and give these idiots something to whine about. I wish the best of luck to the owners legal team. Our county boards what morons.

[Thorin]

What about the track owner's statement to the board when they applied for the permit - we don't know what the application stated, but what about his statement to the public. Is he to blame at all?

Dave Lowell

[Fitz]

Once again, "the busy bodies in your face few" liberals know what is best for us all. "The few still control the many" as Spock always said. I like the idea of driving though the neighbors out there and loosen our oil pans and even though I don't smoke, let's all light up cigars and smoke them while we are driving. Surely someone knows a pilot, who could do a fly over with after burners on. Damn know it alls!

Let's call "Scare Tactics" and pretend we are going to land on some street at 2AM. Where is Dennis Miller?

That's just my opinion.

[csx700?]

i was just out there during a porsche event (street suv's) that was shut down by the city, the event had to get moved to p.i.r.

[mikiec]

They, tell us it's illegal to race on the street.. It is and should be. They then tell us to go to a track and race there. We do and they close it down...

Mike

[coyled]

I am all for a dedicated road race track in the Phoenix area. AMP was the closest thing to that in the area. But, I was surprised to learn that on AMP's application to the city, they stated that the track was for street car club use or close to that. They also have one of AMP's principles on tape at a city meeting saying that it is for street car type club use. Then they host SCCA events with full tilt race cars. I think that is poor disclosure. Because of the poor disclosure, it gives the city a great hammer along with the developers to squeeze AMP. I am all for efforts to keep it open. It is next to an airforce base, so what is the real difference in noise anyways. Scott