SPOKANE -- Spokane County is temporarily running the Raceway Park near Airway Heights until it can find a new operator
The County fired former operator Austin Motorsports on October 29, and are now trying to explain what they are going to do until they can find a new owner.
Contractors involved in cleaning and fixing the track are owed more than a million dollars. If Austin Motorsports declares bankruptcy, that debt could be erased.
There's also a possibility, depending on how that goes, that the county could be on the hook for paying those contractors. Then it's a question of whether the county's insurance will pay for it.
If not, the county has to come up with the money somehow, and no one has a clue where it might come from.
The county didn't just fire Austin Motorsports, Austin Motorsports reportedly sent an email to the county saying the business was out of money and going under.
The county says it will mothball the track until next season, but keep looking for new operators. If they can't find a new operator by spring, the county will run the track.
Anonymous said on October 31, 2009 at 9:04 AM
So they have a budget crisis and their pet project is costing them more? Last I checked being a Republican meant letting private industry do what they do best. If a private company can't make money, why should we feel the government can?
abledog said on October 31, 2009 at 9:29 AM
They are cutting cops but at least their track is losing money. Why not vote yourself a raise? Oh wait, you did.
Anonymous said on October 31, 2009 at 6:43 PM
Dumb
Anonymous said on November 1, 2009 at 10:00 PM
Perhaps the two commissioners can find it in their heart to spend their money and not ours on this fool hardy adventure.
Anonymous said on November 2, 2009 at 9:00 AM
I see this as a boondoggle for taxpayers and personal enrichment for the two commissioners. I'm still waiting to hear from the state department of Ecology on the tremendous site contamination issues...I wonder what kind of deal was struck there between Meilke and Ecology...any other heavily contaminated site owned by private business would be under a cleanup order...
mrnatural said on November 2, 2009 at 9:04 AM
I see this as a boondoggle for taxpayers and personal enrichment for the two commissioners. I'm still waiting to hear from the state department of Ecology on the tremendous site contamination issues...I wonder what kind of deal was struck there between Meilke and Ecology...any other heavily contaminated site owned by private business would be under a cleanup order...
ny2idaho said on November 2, 2009 at 11:25 AM
Having raced (on pit crew) at the track several times, there is no doubt in my mind that the Spokane Pro-Gas Association, can come back in and run the track like a track should be run. They were able to do it last year and the turn out was huge. Ths track is not only beneficial to Airway Heights, but the City and County of Spokane, Post Falls and Coeur d'Alene, and not to mention our neighbors north of the border. There are lots of racers that don't mind coming out to the track. It's great family fum durring family times, then all the hot Honda's and Toyo's come out Friday and Saturday night. This track will help keep the next generation of hot rodders off the street. This track needs a stay of execution. We should all band together and keep this track alive. I know that i want to race there next season, I'm already working on the car for it!
abledog said on November 3, 2009 at 8:59 PM
I think I have it figured out. Mielke and Richards bought the track so the EPA can come in and declare it a Superfund site! All of that money that had gone to Hanford can come here to cleanup the environmental damage! Brilliant! Look, if the racers want to race, all they have to do is pay for it. They can buy the track and pay the ever increasing costs (the County has still LOST money), clean up the environmental contamination required, and charge those from out-of-state even more. Who cares if turnout was "huge"? It still has lost money. The government does not exist to fund the hobbies of a tiny minority. When you return home and your house has been burglarized, don't call the cops, we don't have any, we spent the money on your track.