Houston city council

[misbehavin]

...is looking at investing $4million to rebuild the C^RT course in the heavily remodeled down town for an 05 race. Don't think they have been following the woes of C^RT.

[OW fan in OK]

Some other series could race there.

Besides, I didnt think Houston had the attendance numbers to pay for a CART weekend???? (If wrong please correct)

[Defender]

Last November I met the mayor at a cocktail party, and encouraged him mightily to cut all ties with c^rt because it was a no-win situation and they'd be out of business anyway by the time they resumed that little street deal.

I suggested getting behind the oval track project nearby and getting fully behind the IRL. The fans of Texas deserve the IRL and support it. He seemed receptive.

At any rate, I wouldn't spend any money if I were them. It looks as if there won't be a c^rt in 2005.

[mesquite]

Originally posted by Defender
Last November I met the mayor at a cocktail party, and encouraged him mightily to cut all ties with c^rt because it was a no-win situation and they'd be out of business anyway by the time they resumed that little street deal.

I suggested getting behind the oval track project nearby and getting fully behind the IRL. The fans of Texas deserve the IRL and support it. He seemed receptive.

At any rate, I wouldn't spend any money if I were them. It looks as if there won't be a c^rt in 2005.

Seeing as how he has very little control over what happens where the new Houston Speedway will be built, I could see how he could seem "receptive." Wilke, it won't even be in the same county that Houston is in.

As for 2005, .... trust me, Mayor Lee Brown has his own position to worry about before being too concerned with new events. And wouldn't you know it, a lot his mayoral problems stem from all the darn street closures in town.

[OW fan in OK]

Originally posted by mesquite
Seeing as how he has very little control over what happens where the new Houston Speedway will be built, I could see how he could seem "receptive." Wilke, it won't even be in the same county that Houston is in.

As for 2005, .... trust me, Mayor Lee Brown has his own position to worry about before being too concerned with new events. And wouldn't you know it, a lot his mayoral problems stem from all the darn street closures in town.

Thought I would copy and paste before you caught the errors.

Defender and Wilke might want to talk to you.

[akh]

I don't know if the Ft. Sill newspaper covers Houston politics much, but I don't see much wrong with Mesquite's post and I live here in H-town (at least part of the time). Mayor Brown is term-limited and will be done with Houston politics (thank God!) next year. There is going to be a sizeable turnover or reshuffling of the city government because of the term limits rules.

I'm pretty sure the new Houston Superspeedway is being built in Brazoria County. Houston is in Harris County, so truthfully an outgoing mayor has pretty little impact on a project in the burbs.

I'll concede it would be foolish of the city to spend $4MM on a rebuilding a street course for a group which may soon cease to exist. However, it would not be the first stupid thing this city has done. There has been so much construction in downtown (expansion of GRB Convention Center, new basketball/hockey arena "Toyota Center", new convention center hotel, light rail line) that it may be the city is talking about making mods to construction already required. I.E. less curbing, lower crown on the roadbed, other ideas that might facilitate better racing but aren't necessarily wasted money. Trans-Am was always popular as a support race. They might want back in the market even if CART fails.

As far as the crowds for the CART weekends here. The last race stabilized at ~80,000 for the 3-day numbers. I attended three of the 4 races and the crowds were pretty darn good.

[OW fan in OK]

Thanks for the info akh. Nothing to do with the mayor or the thread but I've always wanted to visit Houston, and AJ's shop (Kingsomething??) but havnt yet. Maybe I will for a race some weekend?

Why I copied was mesquite quoting Defender but refering to him as "Wilk."

And, I also think, Defender may have known it was in the next door county as per Defenders reference of the oval track being "nearby."

The mayor and chamber of com SHOULD actively pursue part of the money from 40,000 spectators to be spent in Houstons eating places and rooms. It's in their job description.

BTW, If I ever do come down I'm bringing the trailer and chainsaw. I need some mesquite for the fireplace.

[Wheel-Nut]

Originally posted by Defender
. . . . I suggested getting behind the oval track project nearby and getting fully behind the IRL. The fans of Texas deserve the IRL and support it. He seemed receptive.

. . . . . .

That oval track nearby is still just a bunch of weeds and a plywood sign!!

[TxIndyFan]

misbehavin,

follow the money.

In Houston in the early 1960's a well-know Harris County politician owned a large parcel of land in the south part of Houston.

He sold it to Harris County for a sports/convention complex for the Houston Colt 45's baseball team. Since he was a county official, he had the county sell bonds to finance the building of the facility. The baseball field and the convention center were built with taxpayer dollars.

He and his buddies formed the Harris County Sports Association, and they were able to lease the baseball stadium for $1.00 per year from the county. That's right, One Dollar per year.

This highly profiitable venture brought the baseball team to the new faciltiy, the Harris County Domed Stadium. Since Houston was (nearby) the home of NASA, and Houston had this new space-aged stadium, the baseball team was renamed the Houston Astros, and the stadium was popularly called "the Astrodome".

Follow the money.

Who stands to profit from bringing C^RT to Houston, and who profits from rebuilding the streets?

And who pays for it all?

[misbehavin]

TxIndy Fan, I know of what you speak. Hoffheinz et all did a job. The model has been reused in the building of the baseball stadium(JuiceBox), football stadium (the resistor) and the roundball center(the rice rocket) all on the taxpayer's bill. I was only bringing up the C^RT talk so people could see how my fine city government works.