Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 3, 1991 TAG: 9104030562
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Councilman James Harvey supported Whitey Taylor's plan for races in Victory Stadium because he said Roanoke should make the stadium available to racing fans as well as those who like other sports and cultural events.
"We are trying to look out for some people in the city who like racing," said Harvey, a former stock-car driver.
If the city makes money, that will be fine, Harvey said Tuesday. But money, he said, was not the reason four council members approved the racing promoter's request Monday.
Jack Hutcherson Jr., a medical oncologist and specialist in treating cancer patients, had charged that council was more concerned with money than with the terminally ill patients at Roanoke Memorial Hospital and the Cancer Center of Southwest Virginia.
Hutcherson invited council members to go with him as he visits his patients on race days. He contended the noise would disturb the patients.
"I challenge you, individually and as a group, to come with me and explain to them why City Council thinks so little of them as to sell out their dying days and pain for a few pieces of silver," Hutcherson said.
But Harvey and other council members who agreed to allow racing denied that they based their decision on money. They said they were concerned about the patients and will insist that the races be halted after the May 27 trial if there are problems.
"No one dwelled on the economic issue. That was very minor," said Councilman William White.
"It was [the city] having a facility and allowing people with different backgrounds and interests to use it. It was an issue of allowing people to use the [stadium] in a lawful manner without being a burden on others. And we think the license agreement will protect the city and others."
Vice Mayor Howard Musser said he believes the city should try to accommodate race fans and make better use of a facility that is empty most of the year.
Taylor predicted the city could make up to $30,000 in rent, concessions and admissions taxes each day of races. But Finance Director Joel Schlanger's estimate was closer to $15,000.
"As far as the city is concerned, I don't think it will mean that much money," Schlanger said Tuesday. The city will receive 8 percent of the gross ticket receipts and 15 percent from the sale of racing programs and novelties. It also will receive a commission on food sales.
Schlanger said the city could benefit from spinoff business if spectators visited restaurants, shopped or stayed in motels, but he added that estimating the peripheral impact was difficult.
Taylor said he hoped to make $50,000 to $60,000 on each day of racing and predicted the races will attract 20,000 spectators. In addition to regular racing fans, he predicted, many people will attend because of the controversy and the nostalgia of racing's returning to the stadium after nearly 40 years.
The racing promoter, who had been rebuffed in his request to use the stadium two years ago, viewed the controversy as a cultural conflict between South Roanoke and working-class Roanokers who like racing.
"The stadium is owned and was paid for by all the taxpayers. It doesn't belong to South Roanoke," he said after his request had been approved by council.
"The stadium belongs to all of the people of the city and that is why I am there. People from South Roanoke, Southwest, Southeast, Northwest and Northeast will be there for the races."
The four councilmen who supported racing - Harvey, White, Musser and David Bowers - have portrayed themselves as grass-roots politicians in touch with voters who like racing.
Mayor Noel Taylor and Elizabeth Bowles, both Republicans, and Democrat Beverly Fitzpatrick Jr., who lives in South Roanoke, opposed racing at the stadium.
The mayor is a member of Roanoke Memorial Hospital's board of directors and offered to abstain if any council member objected; none did. The city attorney's office said Taylor could vote because there was no conflict of interest.
Fitzpatrick does not oppose racing, but said the stadium is not the right place. "I don't know of another place in the country where there is a race track across the street from a hospital," he said.
South Roanoke residents have said their opposition isn't to racing itself but to racing next to a residential area and hospital.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB