Palmer Motorsports Park Approved

[brucesallen]

"The Palmer Ma Planning Board voted 5-0 last night to approve a Special Permit and Site Plan Review to build a 2.14 mile race track on a 500 acres parcel as proposed by NER Investments LLC.

This follows the previous approval by the Palmer Conservation Commission.

The final approval needed is a State MEPA (Mass Environmental Protection Act) Environmental Impact Report approval which is a detailed filing documenting the facilities compliance with environmental regulations. This is a three stage process of which the first stage has been approved.

NER Investments LLC was created by NER SCCA specifically for the purpose of building this facility. It was created to allow the opportunity for other clubs and enthusiasts an opportunity to invest is this new club racing facility. In the end NER SCCA will remain a minority owner.

Dick Patullo, President, NER Investments LLC"

Now we will be aggressively raising money.

[chaos4NH]

Oh ya!! Just get this done before I retire from the sport (17 years to go to catch Paul Newman).

[Grippy]

Bruce,

Great news! Thanks for the update.

In the buisness plan, do they state what the track will charge clubs to rent the facility? Just curious how the cost will be compared to NHIS or other tracks.

Gordon

[brucesallen]

Bruce,


In the buisness plan, do they state what the track will charge clubs to rent the facility? Just curious how the cost will be compared to NHIS or other tracks.

Gordon

Yes. Targeting between the bargain rates of NHIS and the outrageous rates of Lime Rock. Don't forget that Palmer Motorsports Park will be a for-profit corporation with only a minority owned by the New England Region of the SCCA.

[CP]

Any links to a website with investor information?

[SSNH]

http://www.palmermotorsportspark.com

[CP]

I found the website, but it doesn't appear to be updated very often with recent news. Maybe the above posted info came from the "receive email updates" feature?

[Grippy]

I don't see a track map either. I thought there was one earlier.

I just hope they keep the rates reasonable and don't get too greedy.

[DanDarcy]

Here's an article from the Local Palmer area

Sports car racetrack approved in Palmer
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
By JOHN APPLETON
jappleton@repub.com

PALMER - The Planning Board gave the go-ahead last night for an amateur sports car racetrack off West Ware Road, and the manager of the project said he hopes to begin construction in the spring and have it open by 2010.

"I'm happy we made it," said Richard E. Patullo, president and director of NER Investments LLC, a for-profit limited liability company owned by the nonprofit New England Region of the Sports Car Club of America.

Patullo said he expects the car club and other investors to spend about $10 million developing the 653-acre property in the Whiskey Hill region of Palmer's Thorndike section.

The Planning Board voted 5-0 in favor of a special permit to allow construction of the track and a few buildings for concessions and other activities related to racing.

There will be no bleachers, Patullo said, because this is not being built for a spectator sport. He said that even for the largest races of the year, which would have between 25 and 40 cars, he would not expect more than 1,000 people on hand.

Much of the construction costs will be related to earth moving and permits.

Patullo said NER Investments has now cleared all town requirements for the project and the only remaining hurdle is some extensive paperwork for the state Environmental Protection Agency, which has already conducted its hearings.

A few residents who live near the site attended and objected to the project, stating concerns about noise and traffic safety.

Yvonne Smith of Ware Road said West Ware Road on the approach to the proposed entrance to the track, just north of Bacon Road, is too winding to accommodate several trailers towing race cars, but Planning Board Chairman Michael S. Marciniec said traffic engineers have determined road conditions there are adequate for the traffic expected.

John J. Furman, who represents the town's engineering firm of Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc., said experts at his firm are satisfied that the expected noise level will be within ranges allowed by the state.

Marciniec said that if actual conditions during construction or during the operation of the track turn out to be in violation of the terms of the special permit, the Planning Board will have the authority to force the operators to make changes.

Patullo, a Hampden resident and longtime member of the New England chapter of the Sports Car Club of America, said the track is being built because sports car enthusiasts in the Northeast do not have enough access to the few racetracks in New England to meet today's demand in the sport.

"Both tracks in New England are fully booked. We are paying over $50,000 to rent the Lime Rock track in Connecticut for two days," he said.

Patullo said NER Investments will operate the track as a business, renting it to his club and to other clubs, racing instructors and others.

[brucesallen]

Any links to a website with investor information?

The Web site has been low profile to prevent Nimbys. Now that we have passed the point where local opposition could hurt we will put more on the Web site.

But contact me bruce at brucesallen dot com and I can fill you in on investing.
Bruce Allen,
Clerk and Board of Managers, NER Investments LLC
COM BOD
The Greased Shadow

[Tsurara]

Bruce,

Have you guys been spreading the word at National SCCA events? What about boards like SCCAForums.com where the Touring crowd hangs out? I hate to profile, but it seems like the guys with lots of money regularly attend those events and read those boards. Maybe I have been too busy sulking on my DFL finishes but I haven't heard much from you guys around those events or on that board.

Just a thought, I am sure you guys are on top of it.

[brucesallen]

Bruce,

Have you guys been spreading the word at National SCCA events? What about boards like SCCAForums.com where the Touring crowd hangs out? I hate to profile, but it seems like the guys with lots of money regularly attend those events and read those boards. Maybe I have been too busy sulking on my DFL finishes but I haven't heard much from you guys around those events or on that board.

Just a thought, I am sure you guys are on top of it.

Good idea. We have gotten the word out in some other regions. But we assumed investors would mainly come from the Northeast and all members in NE Region got letters and much talk in Pit Talk magazine.

[Tsurara]

Bruce,

Have you guys been spreading the word at National SCCA events? What about boards like SCCAForums.com where the Touring crowd hangs out? I hate to profile, but it seems like the guys with lots of money regularly attend those events and read those boards. Maybe I have been too busy sulking on my DFL finishes but I haven't heard much from you guys around those events or on that board.

Just a thought, I am sure you guys are on top of it.

Good idea. We have gotten the word out in some other regions. But we assumed investors would mainly come from the Northeast and all members in NE Region got letters and much talk in Pit Talk magazine.

Hi Bruce,
The majority of people reading SCCAForums are NeDiv members, so I think this would be a great way to advertise the track. Dave Shotz, the owner of SCCAForums is a T2 or former T2 racer and would probably give the OK on this. I'd send him a PM on the board then post it in the Touring and Showroom Stock forums.