RACE TRACK NO LONGER PLANNED FOR CHAPPELL HILL
Club Track Holdings and Charles Von Schmidt, which were planning a controversial race track in the Chappell Hill area, have released a statement saying they are no longer planning to buy the Mel Acres Ranch outside of Chappell Hill to build the racetrack. The new location, according to Von Schmidt, is outside of Washington County.
Charles Von Schmidt expresses his regret at not being able to get the racetrack built
The statement released is as follows:
Club Track Holdings announced today that Bluebonnet Racing Circuit did not select the Mel Acres ranch outside of Chappell Hill, Texas as the site for its new Motorsports complex.
Club track Holdings management is disappointed in the scope of misinformation which has created this controversy. As a result they will not be able to provide the economic impact, housing, tourism, and of course jobs which Bluebonnet would have brought to the area.
While we feel the positive impact would have been nothing short of terrific it's obvious that a vocal portion of the community does not want this growth and we therefore selecting the competing site. "Personally I feel that we would have been a huge asset and would have become a valuable part of the community said Charles Von Schmidt. However we have an obligation to our Motorsports community, and investors to stay on schedule while building the best track possible.
The Chappell Hill site was sold to a local landowner in a private transaction, eliminating any ownership or pending contracts Club Track Holdings or Bluebonnet have on Mel Acres in Chappell Hill.
Construction on the successful site is expected to begin this fall after engineering studies are completed with opening projected in 2016.
Larger in project scope this site will include a facility designed to address amateur and professional needs for years to come. "We could not have built a track of this scale in Chappell Hill due to the size, level of activity, and its involvement with pro level events. The traffic will be greater than the simple club level track we had designed to fit into Washington County.
This exciting facility is designed to create a fantastic driving experience. It will also provide a projected 214 million in economic impact over the first 10 years to its surrounding community. Initial job creation is 27 jobs with an estimated 90 by the end of year two. The facility will also increase tax base, while providing tourism dollars to the local merchants, restaurants, and hotels.
The new site will include a hotel complex, cart track, multiple garage condos, long term rental garages, grandstand seating, restaurant, and well laid out paddock. There will be multiple residential options, expansive green space as well as areas designated for race team buildings and related commercial operations.
Although I wholly support Von Schmidt’s plans as they originally were presented, given how the ‘deal’ apparently was concluded leads me to question the authenticity of any of it. Perhaps presenting ‘plans’ to build a race track in certain areas is simply a clever way to command higher prics for the subject real estate..? We’re told a local buyer completed the “private” transaction. Perhaps a wealthy neighbor convinced themselves to pay above-market value for the tract in question?
I agree with Good Jobs assessment of this outcome. The deep pockets who paid the lawyer are incapable of understanding the average working person from this area dilemmas. Whats more, they do not care. These protesters are the same political party that demands ” less government” interfering in peoples lives, but when it comes to their own selfish desires they ask our local government to interfere in the constitutional rights of others. Practicing their own version of the Good Books teachings. Kudos Mr. Schmidt on assisting the groups attorney in making the most bucks he could.
It appears that the people of Chappell Hill again prevented progress from occurring in our county. Unfortunately the jobs and opportunities that this race track was going to provide has gone somewhere else. Hopefully a laid off Bluebell employee didn’t need the job to provide for his or her family. Typical and unfortunately not surprising in Washington County!
“The new location, according to Von Schmidt, is outside of Washington County.” I can’t help but wonder where the new victims are located. True justice would see that it would be in Von Schmidt’s home neighborhood, but sadly, the real world rarely works that way.
Sorry Corrina but I totally disagree. I have lived in C/H for about 15 years and watched so many times where people fight change and progress. Ironically enough, the same ones fighting all these things are some of the very ones that fought incorporation, which would have at least put some protections in place for the town area. I see there is now another buyer of the property. What would actually be fitting is if it was a giant corporation with tons of money to spend and perhaps finally put the people against change and progress in their place. C/H was once a booming, town and it could have been that way again if not for folks stopping any type of change at all. I don’t race cars or even care about racing but these guys got a raw deal from the get go. I for one will not support any of the businesses whose owners backed the racetrack opposition and I will be sure to tell all my friends and family to do the same. C’mon Chappell Hill, it’s time we move forward for once!!
I agree on incorporation – they have celebrated not incorporating for years; however, the drawback is that people can pretty much use the land how they deem fit (deeds are what restrict it).
What disappointed me was people kept saying they didn’t want it because “it was too noisy/etc.” yet when I asked if anyone had done a check themselves at one with a decibel meter, not a peep. Von Schmidt – like him/loathe him, at least did his research when he originally did the presentation at Wonder Hill at the fairgrounds. He showed the decibel readings at a half, one mile and I think two mile radius.
That said, it is Chappell Hill’s choice to protest the building of the racetrack and they succeeded. That said, on the obverse, it is also their consequence of any loss of benefits from new business. I think the Valero was a smart choice, as was the BK in Rattlers given the (no longer in business) Burger King in Brenham was woefully staffed. CH’s Burger King – especially at the time it opened, was fantastic.
This one I admit there were pros and cons as any other business, but I think more research should’ve been shown by Chappell Hill to prove their point so people could make a better decision to support them or the business. What I read was nothing more than bits and pieces.
The only benefit from this for CH is that maybe they will reconsider their stance on incorporation. If they really do want restrictions on land for businesses, they need to look into it.
“Concerned”–if you are correct in your belief that this would be a good thing for a community, wouldn’t Von Schmidt be more open in where he intends to place the track, rather than obliquely referring to it only as “the new site?” If he isn’t willing to openly state where this “new” site is, that certainly makes it look as if he is trying to slide something in under the radar without the people living near “the new site” knowing the full consequences. If he’s truly being open about what the racetrack will do to a community, then he won’t mind being up front about where it’s going to be built.
Corinna, you don’t open where the track is planned until the due diligence etc is done…. absolutely all candor will be expressed to any surrounding neighbors and community as it was in CH. The CH scenario was a small lynching, misinformation vs. listening and really understanding the nature of the amateur/club racing. Sad for the CH community…
Corinna, the full statement from Von Schmidt says he cannot say the town because it is in the middle of discussion to close the deal I believe.
I still maintain my question though – did anyone do a decibel research on the volume of the tracks? I only saw his studies and photos of readings at certain levels at the Wonder Hill meeting. Also, was he invited to the meeting in Chappell Hill back early on?
As I said, the decision made and time to move on. I’d still however say this case is a perfect reason to reconsider incorporation, as it does offer protections.
From what I can understand about incorporating, only the “city of Chappell Hill” can be incorporated. Incorporating would have no bearing on the people that live outside the incorporated area. So it would be a mute point in this instance since the land was no where near down town Chappell Hill.
I’m not sure that this is a fear or progress or change, as much as it is preserving what is already there. Yes, sometimes progress is good, but not to the point that what you love about your house and land is taken away from you. I think about the poor people in the neighborhood by High School who now have a gas station going in in their back yard. Is that something you want to look out your back door and see morning, noon and night?
I must also mention, “Concerned,” that I find your statement that it would be fitting if “a giant corporation with tons of money to spend” could finally “put the people in their place” to be highly disturbing. Regardless of the situation, it is never a good thing for giant corporations to be able to lord it over the wishes of the people who live there. Never.
Corinna: Did you ever entertain the idea that where the project will/may be built is absolutely none of your business? You CH folk got what you wanted, it’s not going to be there, so why do you even bother yourself with this topic? I knew Von would be hounded right out of town, are the CH folk proud of themselves now?
Ms Robinson, It is also never a good thing for the few to deny a benefit to the many. The club track would have brought jobs and money to the area, sorely needed now with the unfortunate closures of key businesses in the county and, of course, the layoffs at Blue Bell. I live in Washington county and was excited to hear that a club facility was being considered. Now, perhaps, our taxes will rise to cover shortfalls. Whom do I sue? Also, where was the Washington County Chamber’s support for a new business, and why was Senator Kolkhorst, a Republican and a business woman, against what would have brought an obvious economic benefit to the county? It’s inconceivable that rationality and pragmatism were abandoned by the county leaders. Too bad for we the people who are not wealthy land owners.