International Speedway Corp ironing out all creases concerning Staten Island Nascar Track
With the kind of hoo-ha that the proposed Staten Island Nascar Track is generating these days, we'd be inclined to think that construction of the track is already underway but for those who are not familiar with this, International Speedway Corp bought a US$110 million land on Staten Island with the intention of building one of the largest Nascar track on a 675-acre piece of abandoned land which used to be a petroleum tank farm. Apart fro the track itself, International Speedway Corp intends to partner up with Related Retail Corp in building a 620,000 sqft shopping mall to cater for the expected crowd. So far, the islanders are rather split on the idea. Most think that the idea of a Staten Island Nascar Track is totally out of the question while some think that the Nascar Track will certainly bring in some cash.
So, yes, there are quite a few bumps to get over. This marriage between NYC and International Speedway Corp is a tricky one. Currently, International Speedway Corp, a publicly traded company, runs and operates more than 12 tracks located all over the country.
There are many more creases and wrinkles to iron out before the Staten Island Nascar Track will become a reality. In fact, if everything goes well, the track will only be ready for races in the year 2011…which is right about 5 years from now.
Among the many reasons why the building of the track is delayed, there is the sorting out of environmental issues concerning the Nascar Track. So far, International Speedway Corp is busy ironing things out by submitting a Draft Environmental Impact Statement. In April this year, a meeting-cum-announcement in a small elementary school auditorium ended abruptly when people started objecting the proposal with a demonstration. International Speedway Corp is not surprised with the objection and has all answers to every possible question they could ask. And it seems as though that the company is willing to ensure that all concerns are dealt with before the track is built, objection or not.