“Every Taxpayer in the City of Nashville..”: NASCAR Project Divides Locals as “Dumping Ground” Viewpoint Gains Traction

On the back of returning NASCAR tracks like Milwaukee and North Wilkesboro, attention is shifting to other tracks. Now, it seems that another track may be joining the party, namely the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. This is because the speedway is undergoing a sort of revitalization.

However, it is worth mentioning that the issue left people in Nashville fairly divided. This largely pertained to a lease agreement between Metro and Bristol Motor Speedway.

One supporter said, “The people of NASCAR love our racetrack, because of the heritage, the history.” Another fan insisted, “It’s not the time to take it away, it’s the time to make it better for everybody, including every taxpayer in the city of Nashville.” Many others agreed, stating, “I believe the race fans and non-race fans will enjoy the updated fairground speedway and it will bring a positive economic impact to Nashville.”

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There were some NASCAR fans who were not so enthusiastic

However, critics advised some caution. There were responses like, “More data! We need more information. We need more people to come in and take this community seriously.”

Another person declared, “Poor planning is becoming the reputation of Nashville right now. We are becoming the dumping ground for so many things and fast decisions. It’s a dumping ground and the planning department needs to shape up or ship out.

One woman said, “You cannot thrive on a day when the racetracks are there, it’s legal for me to run my chainsaw all day, but how would they feel if I actually did that, it’s not very neighbourly.”

The whole discussion got triggered, following an agreement between the Bristol Motor Speedway and Mayor John Cooper. A vast portion of the complaints focused on the impact on the community. As it turned out, they were afraid that a new track would drive people away.

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In a recent meeting, the Metro Fair Board opted to listen to the people’s grievances, however, there was no decision taken. There were several issues raised, including potential noise impact, parking, and more. Furthermore, there was a promise that local taxpayers would not be responsible for the cost.