What happened at the meeting with the Punta Gorda Airport? Inquiring minds want to know. I figured you would have posted something by now:anim_pound:
Well we all know how fast the Government works…
[SIZE=“4”]Well we all know how fast the Government works. The June meeting the Speedway was on the agenda. The Charlotte County Air Port Authority Commissioners (one Commissioner was not there Pam Seay) had questions about the Grand Stands and where the were. The lease requires a LARGE security deposit to secure the Charlotte County Air Port Authority (CCAA) property. From what I heard was that they waved the security deposit ($70,000.00 in lieu of them buying and installing the Grand Stands, a new safety fence, and restore all the kitchen equipment, and everything to complete the track as a working track) and leaving them at the end of the lease. The rent was waved till they ran the first Stock Car race (meaning that all the safety requirement were meet). But during that meet other questions arose from the discussion from the Speedway spokesman about why the stands are still not up??? Some of the issues that came out was:
- Taxes (County Property taxes) all property leased from Federal properties our responsible for local taxes (the speedways is about $19,000.00 per year). Last taxes were paid in 2010 (outstand tax’s at this point $69,000.00+ and the Count Tax collector was wanting to collect, I was told that the current operators only owed $36,000.00+ range).
- Permitting (for the Scoring Tower, Grandstands , and other code question).
- Living on the property (in the lease in states no permanent living aloud on the property) still an issue they are looking into.
- Insurance coverage of competitors (of any type on the race track property) and naming the CCAA as coverage on the contacts) is stated on their lease.
- There was a group that put in the Safety Fence and were in the process of taking legal action on a $80,000.00 outstands (they said that was along with getting a bad check for their payment) debt on the fence. This group was interested in taking over the lease (The CCAA did say the lease is transferable) and has the resources to get the Grand Stands and other items to get the track complete.
At the end of the June meeting the CCAA said they would let their Attorney (CCAA) look into all the areas of the lease. And a dead line need to be put in place.
This months agenda didn’t have the Speedway on it. So at the end old items that the public view as not being complete from the last months meeting is allowed to address. There were several race Team at the meeting to see what the outcome might be (the speedway was their home track and they won’t race there under the current operators).
I spoke from being part of the South West Motorsports Community. After I spoke and Pam Seay (the missing Commissioner from last months meeting) suggested that even more problems needed to be address.
- Taxes need to be paid. The CCAA had a meeting schedule with Vickie Potts (Charlotte County Tax Collector) and I haven’t heard the outcome.
- Permitting still need to be completed.
- Insurance (CCAA very concerned about their exposures) and proof prior to any event.
- The Grandstands where are they and why are they still not up?
- Two large piles of old race tires (1000+++ tires) that causes a health problems to the Fans during the events.
- Permanent living on the property on property within the lease agreement?
- Scoring Tower being used before Code are meet.
So next meeting we will all see their (CCAA) demands on the Speedway.
Sorry I am still waiting for the answers for the Tax meeting to let you know. As the other Teams asked? Why this being one of only a few asphalt tracks left in Florida and that they (CCAA) own the speedway property and have a reasonability to the Motorsports Community to keep it as a working speedway (with grand stands and the other issues) for them (who have a lot of money tied you in their Teams) and the rest on the County for revenue to the other local businesses.
I sure this will stir up a lot of question from the reading, but we need to keep as many tracks as possible working to keep our Sport alive…
Remember you can get the meeting minutes taken of what was said.
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Thank you for the update Bobby.