Welcome NASCAR to Staten Island…here’s why
The focus has been on how the traffic would increase is and when the Staten Island NASCAR track is built. Much focus is on how a NASCAR track would destroy the environment and quality of life of the Staten Island folks. And of course, people have also been talking about politicians have been swapping blows among each other because of the up-and-coming elections. What an importunate time for International Speedway Corporation.
Many people oppose the Staten Island NASCAR track but it seems that there is quite a large number of people who are waiting to welcome the NASCAR track with wide, welcoming, open arms. The reason for their mounting support is because there are many fiscal and side benefits to be seen if the Staten Island NASCAR track is built in a wasteland that was going to be purchased and used for one thing or another anyway.
For example, just from the construction of the Staten Island NASCAR track itself, we expect at 3,700 full-time employments during the 2-year estimated construction period of the NASCAR track. Some may argue that not all involved with the construction of the Staten Island NASCAR track will go directly to the islanders. The truth is that after all calculations are done, it seems as though at least 1,500 would benefit Staten Island – hence, about $135 million is going to stay in Staten Island economy.
Not only would be construction of the NASCAR track benefit the islanders because after the construction phase is over, there will be about 4,200 jobs with an accumulated estimated wage of $81 million will stay on in Staten Island . The wages would come from the track itself and also on the retail center that will most certainly bring in quite a bit of money too.
Although it's hard to say, with certainty, the degree of impact the Staten Island NASCAR track would have on the islanders and the economy, we can draw a rough figure based on the Daytona International Speedway. Daytona hosts at least four events a year, excluding some of the minor events and it was reported that a single race on the speedway generates three times the amount three Super Bowls is capable of drawing.
With that said, it certainly looks as though the impact of the economy of Staten Island looks pretty positive so far.