THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 10, 1994 TAG: 9406080130
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Long
DATELINE: 940610 LENGTH:
Good morning, Mr. Chairman and members of the commission:
{REST} I am Gloria O. Webb, mayor of the City of Portsmouth, and I am happy to be here with you in Richmond to talk about the City of Portsmouth.
As you begin your final deliberations on this most important decision, I appreciate the opportunity to tell you once again why I believe Portsmouth is the best location for Virginia's race track.
During your site visit last March, I believe you noted that the plan for Virginia's race track in Portsmouth, which the City of Portsmouth and its distinguished partner, the Virginia Racing Associates, have proposed, is unique and different from the rest of the competition.
Portsmouth is different than the other cities and counties in this competition. Nearly 250 years old, Portsmouth is a densely populated inner city filled with great people, great history and great traditions. Over its history, Portsmouth has produced strong leaders who have made many significant contributions to this commonwealth and this country. Portsmouth's citizens have a reputation as hard workers and for years many of them have earned a living and supported their families as employees in the Navy's oldest and largest shipyard or in service to their country as members of the armed forces of this country.
These are people of great character, possessed of a strong work ethic and a deep sense of personal and spiritual values. They are also among the most persistent, steadfast and dedicated people you will ever meet, people who share today that same commitment to their city that their fathers and forefathers exhibited time and time again as this city has grown, redeveloped and rebuilt itself throughout its long illustrious history.
It is this history and this heritage of commitment that set Portsmouth apart from the competition. Virginia Beach, New Kent County, Prince William County and Loudoun County are just starting down roads that Portsmouth traveled long ago. Portsmouth was among the first cities in this state to provide low-income housing and social services for its citizens who could not afford decent housing or basic social and medical services. Portsmouth today provides public housing and social services far out of proportion for a city of its size in a large metropolitan region. Portsmouth has always been committed to the welfare of its citizens and the lessons we have learned over the years will be applied directly to the transition to better housing which those residents at our site who must move will experience.
Commitment. Commitment to our citizens, commitment to our city and commitment to Virginia's race track in our future. Portsmouth citizens made that commitment over two years ago when they approved pari-mutuel racing by the largest approval rating in the commonwealth. Portsmouth's City Council has supported the race track by a 7-0 vote on every issue, including rezoning the property for a race track last October.
Portsmouth's financial commitment is also different from the competition. Portsmouth has agreed to issue between $35 (million) and $38 million in bonds to help finance Virginia's race track. Only in Portsmouth will the Commonwealth of Virginia have a city as the major financial partner in the race track, thereby assuring the long term financial security of this important investment. No other city in this competition has demonstrated this kind of financial commitment.
There are other things about Portsmouth that are different:
Our race track site at Fairwood is the only in-town location in this competition. Located in the geographic and demographic center of Hampton Roads' 1.4 million people, it is also in the center of Hampton Roads' tourist and convention businesses that last year numbered over 7 million people. Portsmouth's site is 4 1/2 miles from the region's downtown and 6 miles from some of the best farm and pasture land in the state - affordable farm and pasture land.
Our site is the only site that is not a green field. The Fairwood site has 938 single-family homes that were built in World War II and have long ago reached the end of their useful life. The people who live in these homes deserve better living conditions and this race track will help them get them. The plan that we presented to you in March is the most comprehensive housing assistance plan that I have ever seen in Hampton Roads and it is ready to go now.
Our site is the only site with all the utilities ready for hook-up today. There is no mystery about a water supply. There is no reason to dig a single well. Portsmouth can provide over half a million gallons of water every day to Virginia's race track with no problems. None.
Our site has excess sewer capacity. No new lines, no new treatment plants, no new septic fields and no questions about environmental impact are associated with Portsmouth's site.
Portsmouth's site has an interstate address, and the secondary roads that will help service the site are almost all four-lane divided highways. Only Portsmouth has a site served today by two major interstate interchanges. No other site has this type of highway access in place today. More people can get to our site more quickly and more conveniently than can get to any other site in this competition.
Hampton Roads is the best place in the state, and Portsmouth is the best place in Hampton Roads for Virginia's race track. There is no NFL team in Hampton Roads, no NBA team, no NHL team and best of all, there is no other horse racing track in Hampton Roads. Virginia's race track in Portsmouth will be the biggest sports and entertainment attraction in this entire metropolitan region.
I want to come back to Portsmouth's commitment to Virginia's race track because even though Portsmouth is different in virtually every respect from all the rest of the competition, it is our long-term commitment to the success of this race track and indeed to the success of horse racing in Virginia that truly sets Portsmouth apart. The race track in Portsmouth will be in the center of our region, in the center of our city, and in the center of our thoughts, as it has been for the last 2 1/2 years. No city has worked harder to make the dream of Virginia's race track become reality and no other city is offering to make Virginia's race track the centerpiece of its future.
In no other city will Virginia's race track accomplish what it will accomplish in Portsmouth. New development, new jobs and new investment will happen anywhere the track goes, but in Portsmouth the race track also means redevelopment, rebuilding, renewal, and for our Fairwood site, rebirth.
Thank you for giving Portsmouth the opportunity to compete and thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk with you about the hopes, dreams and commitment of an entire city. Virginia's race track belongs in Portsmouth.
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by CNB