What I have learned since Pre Bid on Race Track

[gary laplant]

In the pre bid they asked for the people that was going to bid please be the only to take a bid. I was one of them that did with a few others . WHICH I AM VERY INTERESTED IN GETTING THE TRACK OPEN AGAIN FOR THE RACER.

In being a business man in Tampa for many years and bidding on many bids over the years you learn to ask all the right question about a bid before bidding on it and bring up any problems with the bid before hand so the bid can not be rejected. .

In making some phone call since the pre bid and asking questions I have found out that at this time the Drag Strip was grand fathered in for zoning when is was sold to DOT an still can remain open as long as it has one event a year min to keep its zoning. The Race track has been closed with out any events on the race tracks. S0 what does this mean the race track has to be rezoned for it to become a race track again. Since the race track has a different address then the drag strip. The main question here is will Pinellas County or City of Pinellas Park re zone it again for a race track?????????

With the zoning question I have talked with the D.O.T office and the Sen office on this zoning matter I also had a conversation with Todd about this matter he also made a call to the zoning office and learned the same thing that I did about the zoning problem on the race track to his surprise too. It has to be re zoned by the person that owns the land which is the D.O.T. I am hoping to hear back from either office D.O.T or Sen office on Monday to see if the zoning problem can be worked out ro re open the track.

I am hoping this zoning problem can be worked out so the tack can be open again. I would love to be the winning bid to get the track up and running for the racing famlies again.

Gary Laplant
813 313 8741

[Don Nerone]

well tell us who the other bidders are that were there.

don62

[openwm53]

Gary,

Since the DOT is interested in making some money from the property instead of it sitting Idle wouldnt they make all zoning and permits very easy. or would it come down to a state vrs. city pissing match?

[Bobby Diehl]

It's never easy.

Gary's always on top of the game. He knows business. That's a wrinkle that everyone in the game needs to get an answer before the bidding begins. Don I heard Robert Yoho, your friend that had Lakeland USA, and everyone saw Jimmy Cope on TV. Hope they get it done. It is one of the best location in the State for FANS!!!!The Tampa Bay area is loaded with FANS on both sides of the Bay. I will bet it hurts some of the other tracks with car count in these tuff times. Most of the Desoto cars come across the Shyway to Race. And Citrus gained a bunch when it first closes in 2003 or 2004. No one has full fields any more and it needs to fit in to the mix. I hope who ever gets it works with the other tracks. GOOD LUCK to who ever WIN's the BID!!!!!

[gary laplant]

I would hope it would be a easy fix but one never knows in todays times and it is election time also.


Gary Laplant

[gary laplant]

I got this e-mail today for the new bid date.

Interested bidders:



Please be aware that the Department re-scheduled the bid deadline for submission of all bids to January 19, 2012 @ 3:00 P.M. We will also be running another advertisement in the St. Pete Times and holding an additional pre-bid meeting after the first of the year for any interested parties that were unable to attend the first pre-bid meeting.



You are still welcome to turn in your bid anytime before the new bid deadline as it will remain sealed until that day.



If you have any questions please let me know.



Thank you.





Lonnie E. Wittmeyer

Senior Right of Way Agent, Property Management

FDOT- District Seven

11201 N. McKinley Dr.

Tampa, FL 33612