Impact of Nascar on Charlotte's Image (King: transfer, legally, moving to)

[Tober138]

Originally Posted by vindaloo

1. You are correct in saying that NASCAR is not a sport. NASCAR is an organization.

Not
A
Sport
Centered
Around
Rednecks



I don't really get it either...not a fan. Although, in all fairness, I actually do want to go to a race one of these days if nothing other than to just check out what all of the fuss is about.

As others have said...its a big thing for the city and brings in the tourists / fans, which means people bringing a lot of $$$ into the city. So it can only be a good thing.

[Tober138]

Originally Posted by NCN

NASCAR has resulted in improved brakes, improved engines, improved safety features, etc.

I did find it interesting last year that there was a race here when we were having our local gas shortage / crisis. On the news they were interviewing people at the race about problems getting gas on their way in. And we all remember the long lines at the few stations that had gas and all of that...yet here were a bunch of guys burning through how many thousands of gallons of the stuff while people in the area were having difficulty even being able to gas up their cars to go to work.

[dukesmom]

Originally Posted by UrbanLover

Charlotte has recently received the Nascar Hall of Fame, which will generate tourist revenue. Also, a tall building is in the heart of the Charlotte skyline with the Nascar symbol on the top right, which will generate job opportunities. Is this a positive or negative for the city?

Only a positive!

[vindaloo]

Originally Posted by UrbanLover

Sorry, I don't think that auto racing or golf is either. But, that is just my opinion.

As far as I am concerned, 'Ultimate fights' is the only true sport. I am glad the others are around because they help the economy. At least in auto racing, one must possess skill to stay alive. You don't have to be 7 feet tall or 350 pounds with an IQ of 62.

[BrianH1970]

Originally Posted by Tober138

I did find it interesting last year that there was a race here when we were having our local gas shortage / crisis. On the news they were interviewing people at the race about problems getting gas on their way in. And we all remember the long lines at the few stations that had gas and all of that...yet here were a bunch of guys burning through how many thousands of gallons of the stuff while people in the area were having difficulty even being able to gas up their cars to go to work.

Do you really think that all those teams emptied the underground tanks out of every Sunoco in Charlotte last year? Or that they should've just scrapped the race and donated all of that fuel? Not to mention you really shouldn't put racing fuel in a regular car to begin with.

But forget about the revenue that was generated for Cabarrus and Mecklenburg counties, we need to scrap the race because a select few (relatively speaking, of course) are having a hard time finding gasoline.

There isn't a single solitary negative in having a hall of fame in the city, especially in a spot where it belongs. Not a single one. I'll go back to those times of visiting the Hockey Hall in the off season. The place was huge and just packed. And it was packed with people wearing shirts with team logos from the Buffalo Sabres to the Los Angeles Kings. Fans will travel distances to see something like this and then spend money in the businesses nearby. They generate revenue and positive attention. I'd love to see someone tell me where that's a bad thing.

[lumbollo]

Originally Posted by BrianH1970

.....But forget about the revenue that was generated for Cabarrus and Mecklenburg counties, we need to scrap the race because a select few (relatively speaking, of course) are having a hard time finding gasoline.

There isn't a single solitary negative in having a hall of fame in the city,

NASCAR's revenue was fine before the Hall of Fame was built. In fact it is now going down and a number of teams are laying off people now that it has been built. Using this logic we should tear down the HOF because it is hurting NASCAR. It's silly I know, but people are making these kind of arguments all the time. The fact of the matter nobody knows what the impact of the HOF will be except that it cost the taxpayers $250M and 2/3rds of the anticipated office space never rentals never materialized. This is the biggest negative in the book.

These were exactly the same arguments made about the NBA arena when they spent tax money to put it down town and the end result is that we STILL have a team that nobody supports. They don't support them becuase it is a lousy team owned by someone that has no interest in Charlotte, but the argument for building it was that it would bring in all kinds of revenue. It doesn't. Not for what it cost. If we get a repeat with the HOF then I hope they learn their lesson this time. 1/2 a billion dollars in tax money to promote 2 professional sports could have been spent on much better things. This money would have built the LRT to UNCC for example or the street car, or a lot of other stuff.

[grapico]

Charlotte is finally showing its true colors to the world, instead of trying to be something it is not. Not being a cheap mecca of banking financiers, it already lost Wachovia.

[sophialee]

Originally Posted by BrianH1970

There isn't a single solitary negative in having a hall of fame in the city, especially in a spot where it belongs. Not a single one. I'll go back to those times of visiting the Hockey Hall in the off season. The place was huge and just packed. And it was packed with people wearing shirts with team logos from the Buffalo Sabres to the Los Angeles Kings. Fans will travel distances to see something like this and then spend money in the businesses nearby. They generate revenue and positive attention. I'd love to see someone tell me where that's a bad thing.

Well, I think the OP is asking more about if it's negative to our "image". My guess is it isn't what he considers sophisticated enough? But um...HELLO? It's Charlotte, not Paris.

Like it or not NASCAR is a huge part of Southern, and yes Charlottes, culture and it belongs here.

[SunnyKayak]

Originally Posted by vindaloo

As far as I am concerned, 'Ultimate fights' is the only true sport. I am glad the others are around because they help the economy. At least in auto racing, one must possess skill to stay alive. You don't have to be 7 feet tall or 350 pounds with an IQ of 62.

How true this look at Joey Logano wreck that happen in all places in the north in Dover 7 flips and wasnt injured ,and walk from this

YouTube - Joey Logano Horrible Crash 7 Flips Rollover 2009 AAA 400 Dover (HQ)

for those who say they only going in circles the same is for track and other sports

[BrianH1970]

Originally Posted by lumbollo

NASCAR's revenue was fine before the Hall of Fame was built. In fact it is now going down and a number of teams are laying off people now that it has been built. Using this logic we should tear down the HOF because it is hurting NASCAR. It's silly I know, but people are making these kind of arguments all the time. The fact of the matter nobody knows what the impact of the HOF will be except that it cost the taxpayers $250M and 2/3rds of the anticipated office space never rentals never materialized. This is the biggest negative in the book.

These were exactly the same arguments made about the NBA arena when they spent tax money to put it down town and the end result is that we STILL have a team that nobody supports. They don't support them becuase it is a lousy team owned by someone that has no interest in Charlotte, but the argument for building it was that it would bring in all kinds of revenue. It doesn't. Not for what it cost. If we get a repeat with the HOF then I hope they learn their lesson this time. 1/2 a billion dollars in tax money to promote 2 professional sports could have been spent on much better things. This money would have built the LRT to UNCC for example or the street car, or a lot of other stuff.

lumbollo you just compared a sport with 41 home games, a new team no less, as opposed to a hall of fame open year round, one honoring a well established sport/game/competition/whatever. This isn't some home team deal. The first chance I get I'll fly up from here to Toronto to see the Hockey Hall again. I love the sport and just because of the hall's awesomeness. The people who visit Cooperstown aren't just New Yorkers. Many of those people travel from across the country to see it. This nascar hall of fame isn't going to be limited to people in Charlotte or North Carolina. If you can grab out of state dollars and make it worth your while, go for it.

The layoffs going on within nascar teams have nothing to do with the hall of fame. Most of those layoffs have little to do with nascar itself but more with the automotive industry coupled with sponsorship money. If both of those were healthy you wouldn't need to lay anyone off. Nascar teams have nothing to do with a decline in attendance. That's each track's responsibility, not the individual teams.