Motorsports park: Are we racing toward dream?

Original Article
By Robert N. Dunegan

Marcus McBain, president of Liberty Motorsports Park, along with an entourage of consultants, presented a magnificent dream to Cleveland's city council on July 2. The dream is that of a modern, urbane, European-style motor sports park to be built some time in the future near Cleveland. Reportedly, the site being considered is near the Liberty-San Jacinto County line on SH 105.

The talk of just such a complex has been bantered about Liberty and San Jacinto counties for a very long time now. The presentation was polished, professional, and very engaging. But for the most part, the presentation was not specifically about Liberty Motorsports Park. Instead, the presentation consisted of photos, statistics and details of a recent trip that McBain and a few civic leaders made to Barber Motorsports Park located near Birmingham, Ala.

It looked as if it was indeed a nice trip, but the presentation shed little light on the concept of the proposed Liberty Motorsports Park. In fact, McBain told the council that there are more dissimilarities than similarities between the two parks.

The nearly hour-long presentation that gave details related to Barber Motorsport Park was interesting, but not as informative as it no doubt was intended to be. Liberty Motorsport Park is a grand and exciting concept. The 800-acre total proposed complex would include estate homes, restaurants, a hotel, picnic areas, stores and boutiques in addition to all of the modern and admittedly upscale accoutrements associated with the hugely popular racing industry.

Once in place, such a facility would undoubtedly be a tremendous economic boom for the entire county. However, as of now, Liberty Motorsports Park remains the dream of McBain. In point of fact, Liberty Motorsports Park is yet undeveloped acres of dirt, and the developer has yet to sign contracts to own the dirt.

The substantive portion of the presentation by developers of Liberty Motorsports Park consisted of discussions as to what the developers want from the city. Those wants consist of such things as having the city extend utilities to the complex (at a cost estimated by one of McBain's consultants at $1.3 million); a bond that would assist in construction costs; and various investment and tax abatement agreements such as TIRZ (Tax Increment Reduction Zone) and 380 degree agreements. In a 380 degree development agreement, the city assists a builder or developer by providing grants and loans of public money and services in exchange for that development being located within the municipality. These agreements not only reduce the amount of tax paid by developers - but also redirect a portion of revenue received by the city back into the development.

Liberty Motorsports Park is an exciting possibility. But, all the hype aside, it remains a distant possibility that is, at best, many months and many millions of dollars away.