Big article in Oregian on possible moving(closing) PIR . Sounds like city comm. all voted for the move. This could be " the real end" of PIR!!!
Butch B
Mike S.
Yup, in todays' Oregonian business sec. page 1.
P S
Sorry for earlier sp, not much good at It
Yup, in todays' Oregonian business sec. page 1.
P S
Sorry for earlier sp, not much good at It
Potter asks Parks to get going in moving PIR
Raceway - The mayor wants the bureau to look into putting the noisy track in an industrial area
Friday, April 21, 2006
STEPHEN BEAVEN
Portland Mayor Tom Potter on Thursday asked the Parks Bureau to investigate moving Portland International Raceway out of a dense residential area in North Portland to limit the impact of noise on nearby residents.
Potter's request, near the end of a City Council hearing to determine a start time for a major race at PIR this summer, has the support of the three other commissioners at the meeting, including Dan Saltzman, who oversees parks.
Commissioner Randy Leonard, who made a similar proposal last year, said after the meeting that he wants the city to move PIR to the Rivergate Industrial district, perhaps by swapping property with a landowner there.
Nothing much came of Leonard's suggestion last year. But Potter's endorsement lends weight to a proposal that seemed unlikely before Thursday.
"If we're going to have an international raceway, let's put it in a place that does the least harm for the city of Portland," Potter said, asking Saltzman to look into the issue.
Leonard acknowledged that moving the track would be a major undertaking. "It's pushing the envelope a little bit," he said. "So it has people reluctant."
Potter's proposal follows years of intense lobbying by a group of North Portland residents who want to substantially cut noise levels at the track or move it.
"We've certainly planted the seed several times," said Steve Cox, a North Portland resident and vocal opponent of the raceway. "I know people are listening."
The raceway sits on property that was wiped out by the Vanport flood in 1948, according to the PIR Web site. The Army Corps of Engineers sold the property to the city in 1960 and a year later, the first Rose Cup races were held there.
Track supporters say it provides millions of dollars in economic stimulus for the area, especially for the four major races held each summer.
They include the nationally televised Champ Car race, this year scheduled for June 18. The race's promoters asked the council on Thursday to overturn a noise review board decision that said cars were not allowed to warm up until 10 a.m. on race day.
After much debate, the commissioners voted 4-0 to uphold the noise review board decision. Commissioner Erik Sten was absent.
The commissioners also agreed to raise the issue of warm-up times in negotiations with the Champ Car series when the current contract expires after the 2007 race.
Commissioner San Adams, who lives in North Portland, favors moving the track. But he worries that alleviating the noise problem in one neighborhood might exacerbate it in another.
Saltzman said he supports the Champ Car race because it provides national exposure and millions of dollars for the city and its residents. And although he agreed to study the possibility of moving PIR, he warned that it won't be easy.
Sharon Tracy is a racing industry veteran and a consultant for Portland-based Global Events Group, the promoter of the Champ Car race. She said moving the raceway would be costly.
"The amount of money it would take to purchase or trade property to replace it and all the other things that go into moving a race track, it would be astounding," she said.
Stephen Beaven: 503-294-7663; stevebeaven@news.oregonian.com.
Raceway - The mayor wants the bureau to look into putting the noisy track in an industrial area
Friday, April 21, 2006
STEPHEN BEAVEN
Portland Mayor Tom Potter on Thursday asked the Parks Bureau to investigate moving Portland International Raceway out of a dense residential area in North Portland to limit the impact of noise on nearby residents.
Potter's request, near the end of a City Council hearing to determine a start time for a major race at PIR this summer, has the support of the three other commissioners at the meeting, including Dan Saltzman, who oversees parks.
Commissioner Randy Leonard, who made a similar proposal last year, said after the meeting that he wants the city to move PIR to the Rivergate Industrial district, perhaps by swapping property with a landowner there.
Nothing much came of Leonard's suggestion last year. But Potter's endorsement lends weight to a proposal that seemed unlikely before Thursday.
"If we're going to have an international raceway, let's put it in a place that does the least harm for the city of Portland," Potter said, asking Saltzman to look into the issue.
Leonard acknowledged that moving the track would be a major undertaking. "It's pushing the envelope a little bit," he said. "So it has people reluctant."
Potter's proposal follows years of intense lobbying by a group of North Portland residents who want to substantially cut noise levels at the track or move it.
"We've certainly planted the seed several times," said Steve Cox, a North Portland resident and vocal opponent of the raceway. "I know people are listening."
The raceway sits on property that was wiped out by the Vanport flood in 1948, according to the PIR Web site. The Army Corps of Engineers sold the property to the city in 1960 and a year later, the first Rose Cup races were held there.
Track supporters say it provides millions of dollars in economic stimulus for the area, especially for the four major races held each summer.
They include the nationally televised Champ Car race, this year scheduled for June 18. The race's promoters asked the council on Thursday to overturn a noise review board decision that said cars were not allowed to warm up until 10 a.m. on race day.
After much debate, the commissioners voted 4-0 to uphold the noise review board decision. Commissioner Erik Sten was absent.
The commissioners also agreed to raise the issue of warm-up times in negotiations with the Champ Car series when the current contract expires after the 2007 race.
Commissioner San Adams, who lives in North Portland, favors moving the track. But he worries that alleviating the noise problem in one neighborhood might exacerbate it in another.
Saltzman said he supports the Champ Car race because it provides national exposure and millions of dollars for the city and its residents. And although he agreed to study the possibility of moving PIR, he warned that it won't be easy.
Sharon Tracy is a racing industry veteran and a consultant for Portland-based Global Events Group, the promoter of the Champ Car race. She said moving the raceway would be costly.
"The amount of money it would take to purchase or trade property to replace it and all the other things that go into moving a race track, it would be astounding," she said.
Stephen Beaven: 503-294-7663; stevebeaven@news.oregonian.com.
I watched the news and I can't believe some people. First they interviewed a lady who lived nearby and said the "noise of the track" was just a low hum, that couldn't be heard when she went in her house. Then they interviewed a guy who said it was way too loud all the time!!! The only law that needs to be passed is the one that discloses noise if you decide to live in a certain area. I think its "prime" real estate and somebody with deep pockets wants to make a killing on it, just my 2cents---Don
Don,
You are exactly correct in that someone with deep pockets and an eye on prime real estate that stands to make a killing, and it's probably someone on the counsel or that has a relative in real estate that keeps pushing it. Rivergate isn't that far away, and in the time it takes to read this, there will be a list of people that would already hear the noise and demand that it be shut down. When PIR went in years ago, there wasn't all the residential areas near PIR. Maybe they should just tell these people to shove it. The track was here first and yet they decided to move there anyways. The same thing goes for the airport, residents want to have it moved because "it's too noisey and I can't sleep". It's always a small group of winers that try to ruin it for all.
You are exactly correct in that someone with deep pockets and an eye on prime real estate that stands to make a killing, and it's probably someone on the counsel or that has a relative in real estate that keeps pushing it. Rivergate isn't that far away, and in the time it takes to read this, there will be a list of people that would already hear the noise and demand that it be shut down. When PIR went in years ago, there wasn't all the residential areas near PIR. Maybe they should just tell these people to shove it. The track was here first and yet they decided to move there anyways. The same thing goes for the airport, residents want to have it moved because "it's too noisey and I can't sleep". It's always a small group of winers that try to ruin it for all.
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