Motor Sports

New life breathed into Charlotte's NASCAR hall bid

07:35 PM EDT on Thursday, May 26, 2005

By JOHN ROMERO / 6NEWS

6NEWS

Vendors pass out freebies at Charlotte's Food Lion Speed Street festival in Uptown.

Just in time for race week -- a major boost for Charlotte's bid for the NASCAR hall of fame. The federal government has agreed to turn over a piece of land near Interstate 277 that the city will use to finance its hall of fame plans.

Thursday, North Tryon Street was packed already with race fans. The good news means there is a great chance that Charlotte will see more and more race fans flocking for the hall of fame.

Next to the skate boarders, across from the pit crew and right behind the guy making about 10 thousand funnel cakes -- Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory was still working his cell phone.

“It’s very good news that we got from the federal government,” McCrory said.

The city had been asking the feds to turn over a very small, but very valuable piece of land near the I-277 and Caldwell Street interchange. The city hopes to re-jigger the exit ramps, create some open space and sell the land, which will help pay for the NASCAR hall of fame.

“That helps us move forward in confirming an important economic gap that we had in our funding,” McCrory said.

If there was any doubt that Charlotte would support the multi-million dollar hall -- the Speed Street celebration is proof it can.

“I hope they bring it to Charlotte, because to me, you've got all the race teams,” a fan said.

“Charlotte's the place we came to see. All the race shops are here,” said a fan.

The city can expect extra revenue to fund the hall to come in the way of an increased hotel tax.

The general assembly agreed this afternoon to allow Mecklenburg County to raise the hotel tax from six to eight percent. The house has already passed it.