[Jonr]

This topic has gotten a lot of attention on numerous boards, and I have been mostly quiet. However, there is just a lot of half-truths and half-lies around this topic. The track has a lot of history -true. The track/fair board/city was sued for ADA access and was given till 2012 to make improvements -true. The track is leased to Lanny Edwards to run-true. The city/fair board decided to run the track until 2012 and the cease operations - true. The track is located well inside the city limits of OKC- ture. The track is not well liked by some of the neighborhoods around the city- true. The track has been lacking a lot of improvements and TLC- true. The city has passed several tax incentivites for captial improvements in the city-true. The city has targeted the fair grounds as an area that could stand to be redeveloped-true.

The following is where it gets interesting. Did the mayor make promises to the racers because they were concerned about the tax incentives and the future of the track? Is the "electrical code" issues just a political move to force the track to be closed sooner so redevelopment can happen sooner? Was the ADA lawsuit an inside job?

As an outsider, it appears that saving this track is a long shot. It is not wanted by the neighbors, it is not wanted by the city/fairboard, and the city/fairboard already has redevelopment plans for the land. This is like a marriage both sides have to want to make it work. Right now, you have two sides with different plans.

It has been mentioned that the mayor has talked about creating a multi-use facility to replace the track. Whether or not this has any merrit, is another question, but it seems to have better odds than saving the old track.