NASCAR observers said the race to host the property’s hall offame would come down to one simple factor: Who offered the best deal and themost guaranteed public support.
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An enticing financial package made locating the Hall of Fame in Charlotte an offer NASCAR couldn’t refuse. |
So it shouldn’t have been a surprise that after a longcourtship of five markets, eventually narrowed to three, that’s what happened.NASCAR chose Charlotte, which will largely finance the $154 million facilitywith more than $100 million in guaranteed public money coming from a hotel taxincrease.
NASCAR played the field and the process perfectly, adroitlydropping hints of markets making headway while making not-so-subtle calls formore public funding to jump-start competing markets. Although the jury is stillout on whether a NASCAR hall of fame will provide any economic benefit to thecity of Charlotte, its city leaders were aggressive suitors and were blatant intheir “Please love us!” approach to NASCAR officials, whom the market treatedas rock stars during one site visit.
At least Charlotte knew what it wanted, which can’t be said ofAtlanta. Surely the city understood going in that NASCAR wanted the money,didn’t it? Once word leaked that Charlotte was the choice, Atlanta went intocrisis mode, as if realizing only then that NASCAR wanted — hello — guaranteedpublic money. Mayor Shirley Franklin announced that the city would pledge $72million in new money for the hall, pushing Atlanta’s bid from a largelyprivately funded proposal to a $102 million bid backed by the city and state.
Go in with both feet or don’t, but don’t make a desperate,poorly planned sprint for the finish line when the race is already over.
NASCAR’s “too little, too late” response to Atlanta wasunderstandable, especially after the reaction from fawning Charlotte officials.The Charlotte market makes sense anyway, with the backing of the drivers, mostof whom live in the area, and the option to develop 300,000 square feet inoffice space, which would include the NASCAR licensing office and mediaoperations.
Everyone, except maybe Atlanta, knew what NASCAR wanted — andNASCAR got it.
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