June 22, 2008
MOTORSPORTS PARK WILL BE AN ECONOMIC BOOST
Editorial from Mobile Press-Register

With the Northrop Grumman-EADS tanker project on hold, other planned large-scale economic development projects become even more important to south Alabama.

One of those is the Alabama Motorsports Park in Prichard. With a $650 million investment, a projection of 5,000 permanent new jobs and the backing of Dale Earnhardt Jr., it has tremendous potential to draw visitors ready to spend money and to revitalize Prichard.

Indeed, the complex is just about the best thing that could happen to Prichard. In recent decades, Mobile County's second largest city has suffered from the lack of a revenue base to pay for essential government services, and from a poor business climate.

With three racetracks, RV parks, entertainment facilities, condominiums and big-box retail offerings, the motorsports park will not only be a source of jobs, but it should generate other types of commercial development around the site.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is reviewing the park's application for the necessary environmental permit. In order to meet environmental concerns, developers scaled down the project so that its impact on wetlands was cut almost in half, to 87 acres from the original 177.

Led by former Mobile Mayor Mike Dow, developers have been working closely with the corps to do what's necessary to reduce the impact on the environment, including the relocation of threatened gopher tortoises. Asking the corps what needs to be done and following through on what's requested is the best way to both protect the surrounding environment and keep the project on track.

Some environmentalists say the corps should require a more detailed formal environmental impact statement, but that could result in a substantial and needless delay in construction, with devastating results. National sanctioning bodies and television networks won't commit to authorizing or scheduling races until they're sure the complex will be open on time.

If the developers maintain their attitude of cooperation with the corps, there should be little reason for such a delay.

Public interest in the park is strong, judging by the attendance of 200 people at a public hearing last week.

The people who live in the area surrounding the park understandably have concerns about noise and traffic in what has been a relatively quiet area. But the Press-Register editorial board is convinced that Mr. Dow and the developers are well aware of the importance of keeping the neighbors happy by planning in advance to mitigate noise and traffic, and by working with them to resolve any problems that might come up once the park opens.

We think most residents in the immediate area of the motorsports park welcome new jobs and growth. Indeed, a resident of Kushla drew one of the loudest rounds of applause at the public hearing when he said that most of the critics of the project don't live in the area.

Last week was extremely frustrating for south Alabamians as the Government Accountability Office upheld Boeing's protest of the lucrative tanker contract award to the Northrop Grumman-EADS partnership based at Brookley Field. Regardless of what happens with that contract, strong support for the Alabama Motorsports Park and other new and expanding businesses is essential to keep the economic future strong.