Columbus: Cooper Stadium Redevelopment

May 5, 200817 yr

Well it seems logical that bringing in that many more fans (quite a bit more than clippers games I'm assuming) will drive more business to shops in the area - whether they be the aforementioned auto shops, or maybe new ones springing up to cater to the race enthusiasts. Cooper stadium wasn't doing that because almost all of the fans that went to see those games were from the area or had been to the area often enough to not go out to eat when they went, or not to make a day of it etc... The clippers aren't really a statewide/regional draw.

I don't think Indianapolis is hurting because of their racetrack, and other than that I really have no idea about race tracks... So maybe it would be a good idea to see how places like Bristol etc have been rewarded or not...

As far as greenlawn cemetary - I understand the concern over having very loud cars in the background of funerals or visits etc - However, I don't think I visit graves more than once a year if that, and I don't know how often the races will be happening. I seriously doubt it would deter me from visiting greenlawn, and if I happened upon a loud day, maybe another wouldn't be so loud. Loud noises don't bother me in general though, so maybe I'm an exception.

I really liked the idea, but the thing that is bothering me is something I read in 10tv's comment section on the proposal.. Basically it was talking about pollution and fuel consumption. A race track certainly isn't a green venue, and with what's happening now, that actually might be a factor. I suppose though, that racing will never go away - whether it be with electric cars, motorcycles, oil/gas cars, or a bunch of people behind a cart pushing it as fast as they can - we'll always want to race something, so why not have a track for it?

May 8, 200817 yr

Contract to allow purchase of Cooper Stadium signed

Tuesday, May 6, 2008 - 8:37 PM

By Barbara Carmen, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

William J. Schottenstein got his signed contract today to buy Cooper Stadium for $3.3 million, but only after some last-minute changes to calm a case of seller's nerves. Commissioner Paula Brooks said she'd first seen the draft contract Thursday and questioned why the deal was being rushed.

But Commissioner Marilyn Brown said the board got the contract two weeks ago and that lawyers brokering the deal for the county had then offered to meet with each commissioner.

Though Brooks' questions clearly annoyed the other two commissioners, she did succeed in clarifying wording in the contract: The Clippers will keep their liquor license when they move to a new Arena District stadium; the county won't have to settle all claims, even false ones, to close the deal; and Schottenstein told her he's not planning to flip the place for a gambling joint.

July 9, 200816 yr

Group calls raceway wrong track for area

Wednesday, July 2, 2008 - 2:15 PM

By DAVID J. CROSS

ThisWeek Staff Writer

A group of Columbus residents, including several from German Village, met last week to discuss the effects of a potential raceway at Cooper Stadium.

Redevelop Our Area Responsibly (ROAR), a group composed of organizations surrounding Cooper Stadium, last Thursday held an open meeting to inform residents on why its members believe a racetrack would be detrimental.

Among the group's talking points was that a track would cause excess noise and lower real estate values, among others.

Franklin County penned a deal to sell the old ballpark to Arshot Investment Corp. for $3.3-million; however, the contract includes several contingencies such as a 100-percent, 10-year tax abatement and a rezoning.

German Village resident and realtor Regina Tobin said ROAR isn't opposed to rehabbing the stadium, but about finding another, more suitable option than a racetrack.

July 10, 200816 yr

A group of Columbus residents, including several from German Village,

So why do German Village residents get singled out? I thought German Village was in Columbus, but apparently the writer felt they were unique...

July 10, 200816 yr

If German Village was actually close enough to the track to hear race car sounds, they'd have a better case.

July 10, 200816 yr

good for columbus to annex this area, that was smart.

otoh i hope they keep looking into redevelopment ideas, a racetrack is not a good solution. maybe ok for now, but i wouldn't sink any public money into it -- it will have to go.

i wish i had time this summer to see one last game in ol' cooper stadium for the final season!!!!

July 11, 200816 yr

A group of Columbus residents, including several from German Village,

So why do German Village residents get singled out? I thought German Village was in Columbus, but apparently the writer felt they were unique...

Actually, German Village residents have always felt they were "unique". :wink:

Without taking sides on the re-use issue - I must applaud the acronym creativity of using ROAR (Redevelop Our Area Responsibly) as a name for a group objecting to excessive sound!

July 11, 200816 yr

Also, the track could just make everyone run mufflers. It would have no negative effect on the racing. The cars would only lose 30hp or so; a savvy engine builder would lose even less.

July 11, 200816 yr

If German Village was actually close enough to the track to hear race car sounds, they'd have a better case.

It sounds like they would be able to according to some of the studies being done. You can easily hear fireworks from Cooper Stadium downtown on a clear night. Racecars are much louder.

July 11, 200816 yr

^ The sound of fireworks is broadcast over a larger area because they go off at altitude. Sound emanating from the ground gets lost in walls and buildings.

July 11, 200816 yr

I could clearly hear bands playing two months ago at Rock on the Range at Crew Stadium from my home at night with the windows open, and I live 3 miles south of there. To the best of my knowledge, the bands were playing from a lower altitude too.

Cooper Stadium is 2 miles west of German Village. I have no doubt that it will be audible from there unless some major sound dampening is put in place. It would be even worse for the people in Southern Franklinton who live right next door.

I propose they build a racetrack in Powell.

July 11, 200816 yr

Columbus Motor Speedway has been racing 3 miles from German Village for 50 years without mufflers. If there was a noise issue, that track likely would have closed already.

July 11, 200816 yr

Really, since each noise mitigation situation is vastly different due to topography, the nature of the source and proposed mitigation measures, the only way to know if there will be an issue is a professional noise study.

July 13, 200816 yr

Columbus Motor Speedway is 6 miles from German Village. That is unless we're talking about two different German Villages here.

I agree with you that a professional noise study needs to be done. And so do the residents of German Village:

http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/germanvillage/stories/2008/06/03/0605gesociety_ln.html?sid=104

July 13, 200816 yr

^ I just consulted a map. 6 miles as the crow flies (or as the sound travels) from CMS would put you in the Short North.

July 13, 200816 yr

Doh. I google mapped it, so 6 miles was driving distance. My bad.

Either way. Yes. Professional Noise Study.

As a hunch I'm willing to bet the sound will carry fairly easily across the river, the grave yard, and the emptiness that is the whittier peninsula. There's not really a whole lot to dampen the sound between the two areas.

August 6, 200816 yr

ROAR to meet with racetrack developer

Wednesday, July 30, 2008 - 1:37 PM

By DAVID J. CROSS, ThisWeek Staff Writer

Members of a group opposed to the construction of a racetrack at Cooper Stadium were expected to meet with the project's developer Thursday. Redevelop Our Area Responsibly (ROAR), a group composed of organizations surrounding Copper Stadium and residents, were to meet with representatives from Arshot Investment Corp, which agreed earlier year -- following certain contract contingencies -- to buy the old ballpark for $3.3-million. The meeting is closed to the public.

ROAR member Regina Tobin, a German Village resident and realtor, said her group plans to present information concerns to Arshot and ideas for other uses for the stadium. "We want to present all the information that we had researched to show why we applaud him for doing something with the lot, but we also need to share with him everything we have found," Tobin said.

She said among the items that will be discussed is a sports complex, which the group believes would be a better fit for the area. "(Residents) would love to have a large sports complex for families right there because there is a need for that," Tobin said.

August 15, 200816 yr

Raceway meeting resolves little

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

By DAVID J. CROSS, ThisWeek Staff Writer

A group opposed to the construction of a racetrack at Cooper Stadium is working to find funding for a noise study. At the end of July, Redevelop Our Area Responsibly (ROAR), made up of groups and residents near the stadium, met with representatives of the Arshot Investment Corporation and developer Bill Schottenstein to discus concerns about the proposed raceway.

Among ROAR's concerns were noise impact and the need for a family-oriented facility in the area, among others. ROAR member Regina Tobin, a German Village resident and realtor, said the meeting was amiable, but that Schottenstein's group believed a track wouldn't cause significant noise in the surrounding area.

According to a press release issued by ROAR, a proposed raceway is in the preliminary stages and Arshot is not ready to discuss details. Nonetheless, the company made it clear they are committed to moving forward. "There are enough property owners that are upset enough that we might be able to pass the hat and have people donate for this," Tobin said. "There's definitely a lot of interest."

August 24, 200816 yr

Nice little story about the architect behind Cooper Stadium...as told by his 86 year old daughter. I didn't realize that the architect of Ohio Stadium had anything to do with Cooper Stadium.

Michael Arace commentary: Daughter beholds beauty in eye of Cooper's creator

Friday, August 22, 2008 - 3:21 AM

By Michael Arace, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Myrna Dupler, 86, lives in a high-rise building on the corner of Neil and Goodale avenues, on the northwestern outskirt of the Arena District. This time of year, she and other members of her retirement community are often found on the rooftop patio, which affords a commanding view of the Columbus skyline. From this perch, Dupler tracks the progress of Huntington Park, the new home of the Clippers, to open next year.

August 31, 200816 yr

Cooper Stadium attendance could be the highest in 12 years

Clippers have plans to make ballpark's final weekend a memorable celebration

Saturday, August 30, 2008 - 3:28 AM

By Jeff Thitoff, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Heading into the final weekend of the season, the Clippers have a chance for their best season attendance since 1996, when they drew 526,099 fans. With three games left, they are at 497,000 and have already surpassed the average annual total of 483,752 from 1997 to 2007.

September 2, 200816 yr

Final out for Cooper Stadium

Tuesday, September 2, 2008 - 3:03 AM

By Jim Massie, The Columbus Dispatch

The people packed the house last night to say a final goodbye to Cooper Stadium in the manner of old friends parting.

In the minutes following the Toledo Mud Hens' 3-0 victory over the Columbus Clippers, the fans lingered. They took the last opportunity to run the bases or to play catch in the outfield on what has served as the local field of dreams since 1932.

Seventy-six years and 4,697 games after the stadium opened on W. Mound Street, the Clippers are moving their baseball business to Huntington Park in the Arena District next season. The prospect of a fresh, new ballpark holds the excitement of Christmas morning for many.

Yet the affection felt for the Coop, even with all its well-earned wrinkles, showed in the overflow crowd of 16,770 fans. The third-largest crowd in stadium history moved the total attendance to more than 22.5 million fans.

Read more about Huntington Park and Columbus baseball history at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/special_reports/stories/2008/huntington_park/huntington_park.html

October 5, 200816 yr

Via Walker Evans at Columbus Underground:

http://www.columbusunderground.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=16827

ROARColumbus.com website goes live

ROAR (Redevelop Our Area Responsibly) Columbus has launched their new website to combat the plans to turn the old Cooper Stadium into a Motorsports Raceway Complex. According to their website, "ROAR Columbus is a coalition of Franklinton and Columbus-area residents and business owners. ROAR Columbus supports the redevelopment of Cooper Stadium in a manner that's appropriate to its urban neighborhood location and consistent with the green initiatives proposed by the Columbus Mayor, Columbus City Council and Franklin County Commissioners."

http://www.roarcolumbus.com/

October 16, 200816 yr

Group to raise money for sound study

Wednesday, October 8, 2008 - 2:24 PM

By DAVID J. CROSS, ThisWeek Staff Writer

A representative of a local group opposed to turning Cooper Stadium into a motor-vehicle complex said last week it is raising money for a sound study.

Redevelop Our Area Responsibly Columbus, a group made up of local businesses and residents near the stadium, expects a sound study will cost more than $20,000, said founding member and German Village resident Regina Tobin.

"We know that it's going to be more than $20,000 and there will probably be incidental fees that we'll just have to prepare for," Tobin said.

Earlier this year, Arshot Investment Corp., agreed -- following certain contract contingencies -- to buy the old ballpark for $3.3-million.

October 16, 200816 yr

Group to raise money for sound study

Wednesday, October 8, 2008 - 2:24 PM

By DAVID J. CROSS, ThisWeek Staff Writer

Tobin said the sound study will cost more than what the group initially planned because they do not know what type of motor vehicles Arshot plans to use.

"It would make it cheaper if (Arshot president Bill Schottenstein) said we are going to have these vehicles race and stick with it," Tobin said. "There's a difference between a drag racer -- those vehicles are very loud compared to other vehicles. If we don't know that, we are going to have to test for all of them."

To be more specific, he's referring to nitromethane-powered Top Fuelers and Funny Cars, not drag cars in general. Even though I support this project, I strongly recommend against running Nitro cars there. They are very, very loud, much louder than any other cars that would race there. You don't need Nitro cars to run a great racing program, anyway. Gasoline and alcohol drag cars will do the job nicely at this location. Besides, few people own Nitro cars because they are so incredibly expensive to build and run. Unless you've attended a Nitro-powered event, you can't fathom the amount of decibels (and, well, excitement) that they generate compared to other race cars.

March 31, 200916 yr

Downturn seen adding challenge to reuse of Cooper Stadium property

Business First of Columbus - by Jeff Bell

Friday, March 27, 2009

The roar of the crowd won’t be heard at Cooper Stadium this baseball season, making for a silent summer at the old ballpark for the first time since 1976, when it was completing a major renovation.

The 77-year-old stadium’s team, the Columbus Clippers, is moving to Huntington Park in the Arena District. That leaves the Coop with memories from seasons past and as many questions about its future.

It has been nearly 11 months since Franklin County commissioners said they planned to sell county-owned Cooper Stadium for $3.3 million to an affiliate of Arshot Investment Corp., a real estate developer in Columbus. Arshot principal William Schottenstein has said he plans to turn the 46-acre site into a motorsports complex that could handle short-track auto and motorcycle racing and serve as an events venue for hot rods, go-karts, extreme sports and car clubs and rallies.

The proposal has drawn fire from residents in Franklinton and other neighborhoods near the west-side ballpark. They worry noise from such events will damage their quality of life and hurt property values. Arshot has agreed to conduct a noise study to address residents’ concerns. Company executives did not return calls seeking comment about the project, but Franklin County Administrator Don Brown said it is his understanding the noise study will start soon.

June 19, 200915 yr

Neighbors fret over ballpark's makeover

But developer promises resident-friendly center in Cooper Stadium space

Friday, June 19, 2009 - 3:12 AM

By Barbara Carmen and Mark Ferenchik, The Columbus Dispatch

A year after Franklin County unveiled a $3.3 million deal to sell Cooper Stadium to Arshot, the 46-acre site sits empty. Behind the scenes, however, plenty is happening:

• Arshot, given preliminary indications by two acoustical-engineering firms that the project will work, is tweaking designs.

• Commissioners, eager to close a deal, have asked whether they should consider looking for a backup buyer.

• Franklinton and German Village residents opposed to the raceway are courting political allies.

• Arshot is preparing to file this summer for rezoning, a process that can take months.

June 23, 200915 yr

Another article about the motorsports/speedway proposal for Cooper Stadium. This time as told in that special "Other Paper" way...

Whatever happened to that Coop motorsports complex?

Despite noise concerns, engineers indicate racing project “will work” for community

BY LYNDSEY TETER, THE OTHER PAPER

Published: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 - 6:18 PM EDT

More than a year has passed since Bill Schottenstein announced elaborate plans—which the county commissioners approved—to retrofit the 78-year-old Cooper Stadium with a half-mile racetrack and a drag strip.

The 2008 announcement, which included futuristic renderings of Coop de NASCAR, was met with cheers from the stadium’s Franklin County owners. After all, Schottenstein, as the principle of Arshot Investment Corporation, agreed to purchase the otherwise potentially useless stadium in the wake of the Clippers move to Huntington Park, and take it off the county’s plate for a cool $3.3 million. It was money that would help the county pay what were then escalating construction costs for the new $55 million Arena District ballpark.

But the proposal was met with jeers from Realtors, neighbors and bird enthusiasts, including the Ohio Audubon Society, all of whom were concerned about the racing’s noisy reputation, and the impact that might have on south-side people and wildlife surrounding Cooper Stadium. A group of dissident residents barely had their name picked out (they eventually settled on ROAR, or Redevelop Our Area Responsibly) before the project seemingly went silent.

“My friends at the county aren’t returning calls,” said Carol Stewart, chairwoman of the Franklinton Area Commission and a co-founder of ROAR. “There’s either something super-sneaky going on, or nothing’s moving.”

Photo Caption: VROOM, VROOM! We know it may weigh on Cooper Stadium’s

mind that it never gets any headlines anymore, but don’t worry, Coop. Your time is coming.

June 23, 200915 yr

That does seem like a strange place for a race track. I'm very much pro-racing, but it's not appropriate for urban settings. Not at all. I'm surprised anyone is serious about doing this. Not even Indianapolis has a track this close to their statehouse rotunda.

September 3, 200915 yr

Cooper Stadium noise study bolsters critics’ fears

Business First of Columbus - by Jeff Bell

Friday, August 21, 2009

The decibels are climbing in the debate over the proposed development of a motor sports complex at Cooper Stadium. A citizens group opposed to the project has released a new study that says noise from motor sports events at the former home of the Columbus Clippers baseball team would disrupt surrounding neighborhoods, including Franklinton, German Village, Brewery District and the west edge of downtown.

“It confirmed what we already believed,” said Carol Stewart, chairwoman of the Franklinton Area Commission and a leader of Redevelop Our Area Responsibly Columbus. “Anybody who has been to many auto races knows how noisy they are.”

But the project’s developer, Columbus-based Arshot Investment Corp., suspects the study overstates the noise impact because it doesn’t take into consideration sound barriers that would be part of the design. That plan should be completed within a few weeks, Arshot General Counsel Joseph Sugar III wrote in an e-mail to Columbus Business First. That’s also about when Arshot hopes to submit a rezoning application for the stadium site to the city.

Sugar said the site would be a multipurpose facility with an emphasis on motor sports, including auto and motorcycle racing and special events for hot rods, go-karts, car rallies, cycling, BMX bicycle racing and extreme sports.

September 4, 200915 yr

Not a bad idea. Revert part of the old parking lot back to greenspace and/or some misc. rec fields/courts.

No more green space there please. Look at that picture above, it's so empty. Even the houses to the north of the highway have backyards. I think an area that close to downtown needs to be more dense. So much unused and ugly space on the south west side of the city

September 5, 200915 yr

No strip malls obviously, but more greenspace is not needed there. Columbus' south west side is pretty pathetic, and that wouldn't help. You're right that it isn't much of a location, but that's because nobody has done anything with it. If someone does something, who knows, maybe it can become attractive. As it is now, why would anyone ever go there besides to see a dead person?

September 5, 200915 yr

My problem with green space is that it seems Columbus thinks that's the answer to its attractiveness issue, when it clearly is not. Sure, a park is nicer to look at than a parking lot, but green space doesn't add value to an area unless the area already has some value there. If you build a park where a lot of people live, it's a good idea. If you build a park where nobody goes anyway, then you have a park with nobody in it... basically adding no value. I would think people who want open space everywhere would rather live in a rural area.

My thoughts are that within the city of columbus, we need to get as dense as possible. Sure, put a nice park in the middle of a few high rise apartment buildings, I'm all for that. But we need those apartment buildings. It's a city after all, and people won't voluntarily come to a city if it's just one big suburb (they would just go to the suburbs).

December 10, 200915 yr

Critics to have say on racetrack at Cooper Stadium site

Tuesday, December 8, 2009 - 3:05 AM

By Mark Ferenchik

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Tall sound barriers will help drown the roar of engines at a proposed racetrack at the Cooper Stadium site, according to a study the developer commissioned. But opponents say they still haven't seen the proof. The group called Redevelop Our Area Responsibly, or ROAR Columbus, will lay out its arguments against the speedway to the Franklinton Board of Trade this morning.

Members say they're concerned that the noise would be bad for Franklinton and German Village and hurt property values. Meanwhile, representatives from developer Arshot Investment Corp. are to meet after the first of the year with the Franklinton Area Commission and community members to present final studies and the company's plans.

Full story at http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/12/08/copy/COOPSTUDY.ART_ART_12-08-09_B1_4UFU5FN.html?adsec=politics&sid=101

January 29, 201015 yr

Cooper Stadium racing plan brings in Jeff Gordon

Friday, January 29, 2010 - 3:18 AM

By Mark Ferenchik, The Columbus Dispatch

NASCAR star Jeff Gordon is involved in the racetrack proposal for Cooper Stadium, which also could include a mechanic's school and auto-technology center. John Bickford, stepfather of the NASCAR star and vice president and general manager of Jeff Gordon Inc., said Gordon will help design the half-mile track through his design company. Bill Schottenstein, a principal in Arshot Investment Corp., the project developer, said, "They're going to become part of the partnership. Arshot, based in Columbus, has an option to buy the 46-acre site from Franklin County for $3.3 million.

Bickford came to Columbus yesterday to meet with community leaders and residents and gauge their interest. Some residents have been concerned that the track would be too noisy. Gordon's involvement brings credibility to a project that's been discussed for almost two years, said officials who attended the meeting at Cooper Stadium. "It validates the concept," said Jim Schimmer, Franklin County's economic-development and planning director. "What they've proposed as an automotive-training component is fantastic."

Gordon is involved in the Joe Hendrick Center for Automotive Technology at Central Piedmont Community College in suburban Charlotte, N.C. A similar program could be created at the Cooper Stadium track, dubbed Cooper Park, Bickford said. However, the project faces hurdles. Columbus City Council has to rezone the site, and Arshot still has to go before the Franklinton and Southwest area commissions. Also, the opposition group ROAR Columbus, or Redevelop Our Area Responsibly, fears that noise from the track would disturb residents and hurt property values as far away as German Village.

IMAGE: Artist's rendering of the proposed development of the Cooper Stadium site as a half-mile auto-racing track. The site would include a mechanic's school, an auto-technology center, a hotel and a conference center.

Full article at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/01/29/COOPER_STADIUM_USE.ART_ART_01-29-10_B1_13GEIGU.html

January 29, 201015 yr

YouTube video of Cooper Park.....Do it!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9R0sL9CvLk

January 30, 201015 yr

^^Thanks for that link to the video. Very snazzy!!!

^I'm also conflicted over this proposal. If this Arshot/Gordon proposal happens, it would be a big boost to this part of the West Side. And despite the noise concerns, I don't think another viable redevelopment idea for Cooper Stadium is likely.

One thing that tempers my concern about the adjacent cemeteries is that Cooper Stadium has been there since 1932 and there have always been some noise and crowd issues (plus the occassional fireworks displays). Still, the noise issues of a race track would need to be fully addressed. And I expect it will have to be for this proposal to move beyond the rendering stage.

One additional concern: As much as I love the quality of that video, I do wonder if the final product would come close to meeting that quality. The most recent Dispatch article mentioned Cooper Park as a $30 million project. Doing all the things in that video looks like it would cost closer to $300 million than $30 million! So you have to wonder if Arshot/Gordon can deliver a final product on a par with that presentation.

February 17, 201015 yr

An interesting redevelopment idea for the Cooper Stadium site has "cropped up" in this Business First article. Unfortunately, its about as realistic as a Loch Ness Monster siting on the Scioto River. But take a read for yourself, the full article is viewable today on the Business First website.

Crops, not cars, proposed for Cooper Stadium site

Business First of Columbus - by Jeff Bell

Wednesday, February 17, 2010, 8:00am EST

A “vertical farm” may seem like pie-in-the-sky thinking to some, but Mary Rhinehart is convinced it could be an alternative to a proposed motorsports complex at the old Cooper Stadium site in Columbus.

Rhinehart’s management company operates the Abaco Rehabilitation and Nursing Facility, a stone’s throw from the south parking lot at the vacant ballpark owned by Franklin County. She and others who run businesses or live within earshot of the stadium fear noise from the sort of motor events proposed by site redeveloper Arshot Investment Corp. would plague the neighborhood and damage business and property values.

Looking for a quieter alternative, Rhinehart is developing a business plan with cost estimates for a vertical farm where produce and fish would be raised inside an environmentally friendly, multistory building on the stadium site. Once her plan for Sky Gardens is completed, she will seek investors and business partners to advance the first-of-its-kind project.

Full article at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2010/02/15/story3.html?b=1266210000^2876941

February 17, 201015 yr

The only thing she's serious about is trying to stop a proposed motorsports complex from locating across the street from her nursing facility. She's trying to give the neighborhood an alternate proposal to rally behind.

And what if the neighborhood backs her vertical farm proposal and stops Arshot's motorsports proposal? Want to bet that she won't move forward with any redevelopment of the Cooper Stadium site - using lack of investor support as an excuse?

March 8, 201015 yr

Society hears ROAR's concerns over racetrack

Tuesday, March 2, 2010 - 5:54 PM

By GARY SEMAN JR., ThisWeek Staff Writer

Two members of the anti-speedway group Redevelop Our Area Responsibly, also known as ROAR, urged the German Village Society March 1 to join them in their fight to keep a racetrack from being built on the old Cooper Stadium site. Realtor Regina Acosta Tobin was joined by Linda Burkey, general manager of the Greenlawn Cemetery, as they renewed their objections to the racetrack at the society's meeting, saying it would bring an excessive amount of noise to the area.

At issue is the proposed Cooper Park, which would include a racetrack, lodging facility, conference center and automotive research and development center. Each side disputes the other's professional noise study. The speedway, which would be located across the river in nearby Franklinton, is roughly a mile and a half from German Village.

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/germanvillage/stories/2010/02/24/Cooper-Stadium-racetrack.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=104

March 12, 201015 yr

Arshot close to getting another year to finalize Cooper Stadium plan

Business First of Columbus - by Jeff Bell

Wednesday, March 10, 2010, 3:23pm

Arshot Investment Corp. may get another year to close its deal to develop a motorsports and entertainment complex at the former Cooper Stadium site on Columbus’ west side. The Franklin County commissioners on Thursday are scheduled to discuss a one-year extension to Arshot’s contract to buy the county-owned, 46-acre site. The contract amendment would extend the deadline to close the purchase to May 3, 2011.

The extension would give Arshot enough time to file a zoning application and acquire a zoning permit for the project with the city of Columbus and address other contract contingencies, said Franklin County Administrator Don Brown. The amended contract also would add $100,000 to Arshot’s purchase price, bringing it to $3.4 million, he said.

Arshot has been talking about converting Cooper Stadium to a motorsports complex since May 2008, when it took out an option to buy the property from Franklin County for $3.3 million. The 78-year-old baseball park has been vacant since the county moved its lone tenant, the Columbus Clippers, to Huntington Park in the Arena District a year ago.

FULL ARTICLE: http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2010/03/08/daily17.html?surround=lfn

March 12, 201015 yr

Wow... maybe Arshot they should do this through a subsidiary with a name that doesn't sound like earshot. It would be pretty easy to confuse the missions of the two sides here, i.e. ROAR supporting the race cars and Arshot opposing. I find this whole idea perplexing... few amenities are more rural than a motorsports track. As I recall Polaris (Germain?) Amphitheater was built way to close to Westerville residential, and concerts there were soon forced to play at lower volumes than would normally be expected at such a venue. Context.

March 17, 201015 yr

Extension approved for stadium purchase

Tuesday, March 16, 2010 - 6:37 PM

By GARY SEMAN JR.

ThisWeek Staff Writer

Franklin County commissioners unanimously granted a contract extension for a local developer looking to purchase the old Cooper Stadium site. Paula Brooks, Marilyn Brown and John O'Grady agreed March 16 that Arshot Investment Corp. should be given until September to apply for permits through the city of Columbus to get the ball rolling on Cooper Park, which could include a motor speedway, automotive-research center and cycling venue.

If that happens, the extension -- the third granted by commissioners -- would be good through next May. The legislative maneuver cost the developer an extra $100,000, bringing the total purchase price of the 46-acre site to $3.4 million.

The approval came over the objections of Redevelop Our Area Responsibly, or ROAR, which believes the noise from the racetrack will be heard from miles away.

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/germanvillage/stories/2010/03/10/Cooper-Stadium.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=104

April 22, 201015 yr

More fun with the newest sport in Central Ohio: Following the Cooper Park Raceway debate.

To race or not to race

Posted by Mark Ferenchik on April 20, 2010 - 9:12 AM

Columbus Dispatch Blog

Should be a lively Southwest Area Commission meeting Wednesday night. That's because Arshot Investment is scheduled to discuss the results of its noise study for the proposed Cooper Stadium race track.

To recap: Arshot has an option to buy the former home of the Columbus Clippers from Franklin County to convert the ballpark into a race track. But many residents are upset, fearing the track will be too noisy and dirty, hurting property values.

Full blog entry: http://blog.dispatch.com/thecity/2010/04/to_race_or_not_to_race.shtml

April 22, 201015 yr

More fun with the newest sport in Central Ohio: Following the Cooper Park Raceway debate.

And an excerpt from an article on the SW Area Commission held yesterday.

100 jam meeting to hear about Cooper Stadium racetrack plans

Walls will deaden noise, developer says; critics leery

Thursday, April 22, 2010 - 2:53 AM

By Mark Ferenchik, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

More than 100 people jammed into a room at New Horizons United Methodist Church for a Southwest Area Commission meeting to hear about Arshot's noise study, the next step in what has become a bitter fight over whether a racetrack at Cooper Stadium would help or harm the area.

Arshot has an option to buy the 46-acre property for a proposed $30 million development that would turn the former home of the Columbus Clippers into an egg-shaped, half-mile racetrack to be called Cooper Park. The plan also includes a trackside hotel, restaurant and a conference center, an automotive-research center and technology center that would create 300 jobs.

Noise consultant Chris Menge, based in Burlington, Mass., said the sound-absorbing walls meet city noise standards. But a local acoustics consultant, Ken Scott, argued that Columbus' standards are too weak. And German Village resident Jerome Smith said Columbus is "totally impotent" in enforcing noise regulations. The group ROAR Columbus (Redevelop Our Area Responsibly) has fought the racetrack idea and will be presenting the results from its own noise study to the commission on May 19. The Central Ohio Sierra Club also opposes the track.

Arshot has said the track would host 16 to 20 races a year, possibly ARCA stock-car and sprint-car events, along with other events that could include rodeos, snowboarding and BMX biking. The area commission will vote on the proposal some time after the May meeting.

Full article: http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/04/22/copy/100-jam-meeting-to-hear-of-track.html?adsec=politics&sid=101

May 14, 201015 yr

The YouTube video of the proposed Cooper Park Complex in a previous post has been deactivated. So here's a new link to it.

Cooper Park Complex

Also, here is a promotional video for the proposal that was posted in this Columbus Underground discussion thread. Its an interesting presentation. But obviously slanted to the developer's point-of-view. So, take it for what its worth.

May 22, 201015 yr

Sound engineers have now been hired by the both prospective developer of the Cooper Park Raceway project and the opponents of the raceway proposal, ROAR (Redevelop Our Area Responsibly). Unsurprisingly, they do not agree on the noise impact of a raceway at Cooper Stadium.

Noise expert slams Cooper racetrack plan

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

By Mark Ferenchik, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

A noise study commissioned by the developer of a proposed Franklinton racetrack is seriously flawed, says an expert hired by the project's opponents. "At the very least, the city should not take at face value that the operation of the track will have no significant impact on residents," said Eric Zwerling, president of Noise Consultancy in New Jersey.

It's just one more salvo fired in the noise war that the Columbus City Council eventually will end when members vote on a measure to rezone the property to allow racing. Zwerling was hired by the group ROAR Columbus, or Redevelop Our Area Responsibly, to perform a noise study and poke holes in the report from developer Arshot Investment Corp. The study said the racetrack would not disturb neighbors. Zwerling said the proposed Cooper Park racetrack would be too loud for neighbors.

Arshot has an option to buy the 46-acre property for a proposed $30 million development that would turn the former home of the Columbus Clippers baseball team into an egg-shaped, half-mile racetrack to be called Cooper Park. Officials say they are planning to hold 16 to 20 races each year.

Full article: http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/05/19/copy/noise-expert-slams-cooper-racetrack-plan.html?adsec=politics&sid=101

May 22, 201015 yr

Columbus Business First has a very interesting article about dualing neighborhood groups in the Cooper Park Raceway proposal for Cooper Stadium. Its beginning to shape up as a battle between the have's and have not's over support for or against the racetrack. With German Village groups lobbying against the proposal on noise and inappropriate use grounds. And with Franklinton groups lobbying for the proposal on economic and site redevelopment grounds.

Below is a small exerpt. The full article is available today on the Business First website at the link below.

Struggle is engaged over Cooper Park development

Business First of Columbus - by Jeff Bell

Saturday, May 22, 2010

The lobbying pace is quickening over a plan to convert Cooper Stadium to a motorsports complex as Columbus community groups try to drum up support for their positions on the controversial proposal.

The German Village Business Community trade group recently asked the Coleman administration to join it in opposing the proposed Cooper Park project in Franklinton, claiming noise from racing events would jeopardize the future of their businesses. On the other side, Friends of Racing Columbus says it has collected nearly 3,000 signatures on petitions endorsing the plan advanced by Arshot Investment Corp.

The developer has said it would spend $30 million to $40 million to build Cooper Park, which would include a racetrack, an automotive research and technology center that could involve NASCAR racing star Jeff Gordon, and ancillary projects such as a hotel and restaurants.

Full article: http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2010/05/24/story3.html?b=1274673600^3391131

May 22, 201015 yr

Not even Charlotte, the capitol of NASCAR, would do something like this. I'm a "friend of racing" too but this is nuts.

May 23, 201015 yr

I'm all for redeveloping Cooper Stadium but even I have to admit that those race cars are loud as Hell. I remember as a kid going downtown to watch the Columbus 500 and you could hear the roar of those race cars all over the center of the city so I can completely understand the opposition for constructing a race track at Cooper Stadium. However, considering that there will be sound walls, I'm not so sure how much 16 to 20 races a year would actually effect the quality of life in the surrounding areas. IMO, German village isn't that close to Cooper Stadium so to me it seems like a lot of bitching for nothing in that part of town.

June 8, 201015 yr

A new pro-racetrack redevelopment website at http://coopertalk.info/.

It joins the previous anti-racetrack redevelopment website at http://www.roarcolumbus.com/ and the developers website at http://www.cooperparkcomplex.com/.

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Columbus: Cooper Stadium Redevelopment

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