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From Rick Moriarty (Syracuse.com)
Oswego, N.Y. — Moving the five-day racing extravaganza Super DIRT Week to Oswego Speedway will cost New York taxpayers $1.1 million.
That's how much Empire State Development, the state's economic development office, will provide to help the speedway host the five-day event, which organizers say could attract up to 70,000 fans and competitors this fall.
The grant will be used to truck in 9,600 cubic yards of dirt to turn the speedway's 5/8-mile asphalt track off East Albany Street into a dirt track and then truck it out after the event, which is scheduled for Oct. 5 to 9.
The state's money also will pay for upgrades to the speedway's back grandstands (they're called the Lakeview Grandstands because you can see Lake Ontario from the top row); extending electrical utilities to an RV camping area across the street from the speedway; improving perimeter fencing, ticketing centers and facility lighting; and providing shuttles from offsite parking lots.
Jason Conwall, spokesman for Empire State Development, said the money will come from the office's economic development funds and will be provided as a reimbursement to World Racing Group, the Concord, N.C., racing organization that owns Super DIRT Week.
Conwall said the grant will help the state maintain the commitment it made to keeping Super DIRT Week in Central New York after being held at the State Fairgrounds in Geddes for more than 30 years. After last year's event, the state demolished the mile-long dirt oval and grandstands at the fairgrounds as part of a $50 million renovation of the fairgrounds.
The event has a major economic benefit to Central New York. World Racing Group says it pumps about $12 million into the local economy by drawing fans and competitors from three countries and 21 states for racing day and night. The state had been expected to provide $800,000 for the event, but the final number, based on estimated costs, came in at $1.1 million.
The state agreed last year to provide $5 million to Central New York Raceway Park, a 150-acre racing complex under development by racing entrepreneur Glenn Donnelly near Central Square, to host the event for the next 10 years.
Construction delays at Donnelly's complex forced World Racing Group last week to switch this year's event to Oswego Speedway 41 miles north of Syracuse.
Conwall said some of the improvements to the speedway, such as renovations to the grandstands and extension of utilities to the camping area, will be permanent.
Jeff Hachmann, director of events for World Racing Group, said the dirt will be stored nearby after the event in case Super DIRT Week is held at Oswego Speedway again. The organization hopes to hold the event at Central New York Raceway Park starting next year, but that depends on whether the facility is finished by then, he said.
Oswego Speedway opened as a dirt track in 1951 but was turned into a paved course halfway through its second season.
Oswego, N.Y. — Moving the five-day racing extravaganza Super DIRT Week to Oswego Speedway will cost New York taxpayers $1.1 million.
That's how much Empire State Development, the state's economic development office, will provide to help the speedway host the five-day event, which organizers say could attract up to 70,000 fans and competitors this fall.
The grant will be used to truck in 9,600 cubic yards of dirt to turn the speedway's 5/8-mile asphalt track off East Albany Street into a dirt track and then truck it out after the event, which is scheduled for Oct. 5 to 9.
The state's money also will pay for upgrades to the speedway's back grandstands (they're called the Lakeview Grandstands because you can see Lake Ontario from the top row); extending electrical utilities to an RV camping area across the street from the speedway; improving perimeter fencing, ticketing centers and facility lighting; and providing shuttles from offsite parking lots.
Jason Conwall, spokesman for Empire State Development, said the money will come from the office's economic development funds and will be provided as a reimbursement to World Racing Group, the Concord, N.C., racing organization that owns Super DIRT Week.
Conwall said the grant will help the state maintain the commitment it made to keeping Super DIRT Week in Central New York after being held at the State Fairgrounds in Geddes for more than 30 years. After last year's event, the state demolished the mile-long dirt oval and grandstands at the fairgrounds as part of a $50 million renovation of the fairgrounds.
The event has a major economic benefit to Central New York. World Racing Group says it pumps about $12 million into the local economy by drawing fans and competitors from three countries and 21 states for racing day and night. The state had been expected to provide $800,000 for the event, but the final number, based on estimated costs, came in at $1.1 million.
The state agreed last year to provide $5 million to Central New York Raceway Park, a 150-acre racing complex under development by racing entrepreneur Glenn Donnelly near Central Square, to host the event for the next 10 years.
Construction delays at Donnelly's complex forced World Racing Group last week to switch this year's event to Oswego Speedway 41 miles north of Syracuse.
Conwall said some of the improvements to the speedway, such as renovations to the grandstands and extension of utilities to the camping area, will be permanent.
Jeff Hachmann, director of events for World Racing Group, said the dirt will be stored nearby after the event in case Super DIRT Week is held at Oswego Speedway again. The organization hopes to hold the event at Central New York Raceway Park starting next year, but that depends on whether the facility is finished by then, he said.
Oswego Speedway opened as a dirt track in 1951 but was turned into a paved course halfway through its second season.
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