SPOKANE -- Spokane County was the highest bidder on Thursday for the Spokane Raceway Park.

Selling price: $3.9 million.

The county won bidding for four parcels of Spokane Raceway Park. The county purchased approximately 315 acres of the park, including all of the tracks.

The county snared the property at auction at the downtown Doubletree.

KREM.com

The former owner of Spokane Raceway Park is trying to fight the auction of his former property.

Despite the purchase, County Commissioner Bonnie Mager said she thinks the purchase was a bad idea.

"We know there's contaminated water, a cancer causing agent and there is lead contamination on the grounds," Mager said in an interview with KREM 2.

Mager said no one knows just how much it will cost to clean the site. Mager said the county does not have the money to purchase outright and will have to float a bond to taxpayers.

But commissioner Mark Richard feels the opposite of Mager.

"It will help diversify the economy and help the taxpayer by bringing tourism into the local area," Richard said.

Spokane County was expected to bid on the course, the auction also saw interested parties from around the country as the sale is being advertised in the Wall Street Journal and throughout the Pacific Northwest.

The property includes tracks, grandstands and support buildings, 13 parcels of undeveloped land and an operating gravel pit.

Despite the being the highest bidder the sale will still have to be approved by a judge.

On Wednesday, the park's former owner, Orville Moe, tried to stop today's auction but that lawsuit was dismissed by a judge.

Orville Moe was also banned from attending today's auction.