Rocket City Motorsports Park

[G_Horneck]

This community just had their payoff for 5 years of hard work -

http://www.ridgemotorsportspark.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Es40...&feature=share

[Samir]

Originally Posted by G_Horneck

I want to go make some noise at the City Council meetings. I want to kick the JHP into Central Park idea in the groin and see what shakes loose. With a bit of work, JHP and parts of Joe Davis could be developed into something for the auto community. Its foggy, and it smells like rotted garbage over there right now. And it smells when there is a wind from the south. Just the place for a concert venue, and jogging paths. Is there a niche market for parks specially located for people with no sense of smell? And there is a stream that runs through the place that has a very toxic look to it. Yummy stuff... The turtles in the stream have very funky shells. The dogs don't even dare go in the water for some reason.

January 12th is the next Council meeting.

I think hammering the point on jhp is a bit too late. They've had plans to use that for something else for years. I think what's more important is to highlight how motorsports is important in our area in one form or another, and that the lack of support is not only causing revenue to leave this area, but people as well. Those of us that are enthusiasts want to live in a place where our hobby is active.

Originally Posted by G_Horneck

This community just had their payoff for 5 years of hard work -

http://www.ridgemotorsportspark.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Es40...&feature=share

Now this is seriously impressive. I wonder if the finances are working out.

[G_Horneck]

Well, JHP is the only venue left in town presently for AutoX. They have always had a master plan for replacing JHP, or so they say. We can still hammer away at a motorsports park, but if they close JHP, game over.

[Samir]

Very true, but is there pressure to change the current policy of JHP in regards to the autocrosses? If there isn't, we don't have to hit it so hard.

[clintjohns]

only down side to using JHP for a official park is that it is also used as an entrance to the Jaycees building, and parking for all the soccer fields that join it.

I would expect a venue like this to be out of town aways. Barber, Road Atlanta etc... My vote is still the bridestone test track

[Samir]

Originally Posted by clintjohns

only down side to using JHP for a official park is that it is also used as an entrance to the Jaycees building, and parking for all the soccer fields that join it.

I would expect a venue like this to be out of town aways. Barber, Road Atlanta etc... My vote is still the bridestone test track

There's several issues with jhp, but as of right now, it is the only venue that currently supports motorsports.

Barber and Road Atlanta are out of reach for a lot of local racers. Those are world-class facilities and are expensive. A local facility in my mind would be just that--a facility that supports the existing local activities.

[G_Horneck]

Tick tick tick... Milton Frank Stadium will never host another Autocross. I was told this yesterday by the City. When the JHP surface is finally unusable, which will not be too long, its game over for Autocross in Huntsville. They are sorry, but nothing can be done. Its all slipping away. Dragstrips, Speedways, Kart tracks, car activities in general in the Huntsville area. Some groups are vocal. They show up at Council Meetings and complain about the noise after moving next to a facility that has been in operation for years. They win because they got in front of the council and sobbed about, whatever. If we don't come together and make a noise as the car community there will be nothing left for the car enthusiast here.

[Stephen Freeman]

I think we all knew that this would eventually happen. I am bummed.

[b.a.king]

Originally Posted by G_Horneck

Tick tick tick... Milton Frank Stadium will never host another Autocross. I was told this yesterday by the City. When the JHP surface is finally unusable, which will not be too long, its game over for Autocross in Huntsville. They are sorry, but nothing can be done. Its all slipping away. Dragstrips, Speedways, Kart tracks, car activities in general in the Huntsville area. Some groups are vocal. They show up at Council Meetings and complain about the noise after moving next to a facility that has been in operation for years. They win because they got in front of the council and sobbed about, whatever. If we don't come together and make a noise as the car community there will be nothing left for the car enthusiast here.

did they say why? what was excuse

[EvilZ]

It doesn't suprise me. Mark my words the drag strip will be next.

If I could figure out a way to make a profit I'd be all over some sort of place.

[clintjohns]

Originally Posted by EvilZ

It doesn't suprise me. Mark my words the drag strip will be next.

If I could figure out a way to make a profit I'd be all over some sort of place.

I think that a single venue with multiple uses is a key to success. One venue that has multiple purposes, even if that is sometime just being a parking lot for a soccer field next door, which could be used as a pay to park venue where we all work it and put that money toward the venue

[G_Horneck]

School system is spending 1.5 million on MFS upgrades. Light poles are planned throughout the parking lot. They say we are tearing up the pavement with AutoX. The attendance at MFS for H.S. football games is dismal. Where does all that money come from? Bet a bunch of people that got laid off this year from the school system wonder that also, or they should. Sports over tenured, long time employee's. Very human of them.

[Stephen Freeman]

Actually they are incorrect about autocross damaging the pavement system. Asphalt is a flexible pavement system. An un-used parking lot deteriorates quicker with no traffic.

[G_Horneck]

Article in the Times about JHP - http://blog.al.com/breaking/2011/12/..._plan_cal.html

Leave your comments on the Times page.

[b.a.king]

BALL AND STICK TOWN, i've said it for years! we have got to show the city/county where a automotive event brings money in to town.its the only way to get their attention. even then they don't see it. look how much $$$ was brought in to th city by the big drag races that used to go on. motel, food, fuel.

[Beckham]

I don't support a new baseball park, but a nice outdoor venue would be nice and could possibly draw more higher profile musicians to HSV.

I'm all for a motorsports park, but there are a LOT of good ideas in Battle's proposed plan.

[clintjohns]

I think selling the JoeDavis Stadium is a great idea, just don't like the idea of building a new one.LOL If they would pave JHP it would help alot. The one thing that has kept me from doing an autocross is that rough pavement. I was down there yesterday and rocks and pot holes that had been filled with cold patch were everywhere. That pavement just looks like it would eat my F1's up

[Beckham]

I'm all for making downtown HSV more of a "downtown" feel to it. A new, smaller stadium like they are proposing would definitely be awesome to have downtown. It would give you almost a big city feel in our small city.

As for JHP, I'm not really for or against anything considering ANYTHING is better than what it is now. (terrible pavement for AutoX, etc)

[ITSFAST]

"Searcy Homes, across from the Historic Huntsville Depot, is the preferred location for a new downtown ballpark, although the Huntsville Housing Authority would first have to relocate about 190 public housing residents who live there."

I'd be curious to see where they "relocate" these residents. Maybe in one of your backyards?? I thought most of the public housing was already full and some with waiting lists. Time to buy some more appartment complexes.

[mailman]

Originally Posted by ITSFAST

"Searcy Homes, across from the Historic Huntsville Depot, is the preferred location for a new downtown ballpark, although the Huntsville Housing Authority would first have to relocate about 190 public housing residents who live there."

I'd be curious to see where they "relocate" these residents. Maybe in one of your backyards?? I thought most of the public housing was already full and some with waiting lists. Time to buy some more appartment complexes.

When you concentrate low income subsidized government housing into apartment complexes you only increase the crime rate.The people who have the leases there are usually older people who are good people but their younger hoodlum relatives end up moving in with them and cause trouble because they have no honest work ethic. The idea they have of dispersing the "housing project" out into varied areas in my opinion is a good one.