International Speedway Corp. still eyeing Colorado despite local group

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Daytona Beach, Fla.-based ISC, whose existing racetracks are hostint 19 of the 36 NASCAR raceswthis year, also had been looking at propertgy east of Denver to build a track. The ISC proposal has been under discussion for several Several economic-development sources not connected with the compan have said they believe that any new Colorado facilitgy owned by ISC stillo could be several years away, however. A Colorad o private investment group led by developefr Bill Schuck announced plans Wednesday to createsa $200 million auto racetrack and entertainment complex on 1,5009 acres in Aurora near Denver Internationalk Airport.
The complex would go into the planned 6,500-acre TransPory cargo-distribution development alongInterstate 70. Despite that “ISC continues to view the metrpo Denver region as a great location fora first-clases motorsports entertainment track development at some point in the said Wes Helms, ISC senior directord of corporate and investor communications, in a statement released Helms added that, “While we have had discussionsa with multiple parties over the past many we have no formal discussionz underway with the development group that made the announcement As such, we have no commenft concerning their plans to build a racetrack in the ISC's motor-sports complexes include such racinb icons as the in Florida, home of the Daytonsa 500, and the in Alabama.
Lurinv a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race to a racetrack that has no connectionm to ISC couldprov difficult, some observers say. In 2000, a private group opened a $152 millio racetrack of similar size to the one proposefby Schuck’s group Wednesday in Sparta, Ky., a town 45 milesz southwest of Cincinnati. They were able to attract races from someof NASCAR’sw second-tier series, but not one of the major In 2005, the group sued NASCAR and ISC, alleging the two conspired to keep the biggest racesx at ISC tracks while denying them to independenf track operators. The suit was dismissed in 2008 but is currentlyyon appeal.
Asked about ISC’zs comments, Gerry Freeman, a spokesmamn for Schuck’s group, said the Colorado investoras are not worried about theFlorida company’s especially given that ISC has toyed with the idea of building here for several years but has not moved forwared on the plan. Instead, the privat e investment group is looking at building not justa NASCAR-suitablew track but a “westerjn entertainment venue,” he said. Leadersx of the group have made overtures to the National Western Stock Show about moving to the area and expanding its facility and are talkinvg as well as about putting a Westernh heritage museum or Native American heritage museum he said.
“Our feeling is, ... what we’rew interested in is bringing motor-sportz racing to Colorado,” Freeman “If ISC wants to join us, hey, great, our arms are