Letter to the Editor 11/04/2007

[dirt racer]

http://starbulletin.com/2007/11/04/editorial/letters.html



Legal raceway would prevent street deaths

Another senseless death from street racing occurred on Oct. 31. Ironically, this accident occurred in Kunia, where thousands of acres of former pineapple land now lies fallow.

Our Legislature is not known for taking timely and decisive action even on issues of unarguable merit, but here's a suggestion: We need a replacement for Hawaii Raceway Park.

Less then two years ago, well-developed plans for a world-class raceway park were sunk. This facility would have brought significant revenues to the state and provided a safe, legal release for young people and others for their need for speed.

As we contemplate yet another death from the results of this failure, it is important to remember that those well-developed plans still exist and continue to be advanced by the Oahu Motorsports Advisory Council. Those plans could be virtually cookie-cuttered from the previously proposed site at Barbers Point and be dropped intact onto 350 acres of now vacant Kunia-area land.

This idea clearly has merit. Therefore, the chances of action on it are probably next to nothing. What a pity.

Ron Kienitz
Kailua

[dirt racer]

Dear Ron,

Although I would agree that a legal alternative to street racing would prevent many deaths and injuries on Oahu roadways, I would hardly call the so called "World Class Facility" a "well developed plan". If it was so "well developed", it wouldn't have been stuck to the drawing board for the past 20 years. Perhaps a better description would be a "hair brained get rich quick scheme".

You seem to be missing the point that the "well developed plan" was really more about acquiring DHHL land on the cheap for a quick resale, than it was about building a racetrack.

And as far as building a racetrack on AG land - that's a non-starter. We've already asked the City Council about changing the LUO (which requires racetracks to be on industrial/commercial land). No deal.

The fact is, the only industrial lots large enough for a proper racetrack that have not been developed as of yet, are in the Campbell/Kapolei Industrial Park area. And they all have already been acquired by private developers and are planned for industrial/commercial development. The reason why these private (for profit) developers are NOT interested in building a racetrack is again the LUO. Which ALSO allows for their property to be developed into industrial/commercial spaces. And since these for profit companies are only interested in the "highest best use" (read the most money they can make). They will always opt for commercial uses other than a racetrack, which will yield them 10 times the profit (do the math).

The only solution is to have the State condemn one of those parcels in the interests of public safety/recreation. The City obviously feels a racetrack is not important.


dirt racer
the blogosphere

[Need4Speed]

Thank you for realizing this isn't a letter from OMAC.

The fact is agriculture land can change.

The fact is the World Class Facility is a well thought out plan.

The fact is condemnation is not the only solution.

The fact is some people don't want to see this World Class Facility because they hate the guy who owns the car in my avatar.

The fact is these people are YOU!

[Mud Packer]

Thank you for realizing this isn't a letter from OMAC.

The fact is agriculture land can change.

The fact is the World Class Facility is a well thought out plan.

The fact is condemnation is not the only solution.

The fact is some people don't want to see this World Class Facility because they hate the guy who owns the car in my avatar.

The fact is these people are YOU!
You hate him too; you just dont know it yet, so shut your pie hole.

[Need4Speed]

Funny as shit! :D

[Mud Packer]

Funny as shit! :D
You know whats funny? The next track that opens up (Par 24 or a permanent track) wont be ran by Mike O or any member of omac because the stage has already been set. And you say that they are trying to build a track? Parcel 9? Now thats some funny shit right there, I dont care what you say, thats some funny shit!