VALDOSTA — The furor created by a proposed race track in south Lowndes County has prompted the developer to look at other locations for his automotive entertainment complex.

Larry Dean proposed a half-mile oval, a quarter-mile drag strip and seating for 3,000 race fans for a 50-acre tract along Peterson Road just south of the Lake Park Visitors Center. The location’s close proximity to Ocean Pond has drawn harsh criticism from area residents who claim the proposal will create unmanageable noise problems, increased traffic and crushed property values.

While the proposal — which would require 40 acres of the tract to be rezoned from Agricultural Use to Highway Commercial — is still pending before the Lowndes County Commission, attorney Bill Langdale, who represents Dean, said his client is actively considering two other sites.

Cook County and Hamilton County, Fla., are the two other areas vying for the racing facility and the massive economic impact predicted to accompany what Dean describes as a state-of-the-art complex dedicated to the nation’s fastest growing sport. Both are offering Dean a number of inducements to bring the race track to their area.

Economic impact figures compiled by the Valdosta-Lowndes County Conference Center estimated Dean’s track could generate as much as $37-million annually while hosting as many as 92 events from all across the motorsports spectrum. Preliminary plans call for a $5 million initial investment to build the facility.

In Cook County, the Greater Cook Planning Advisory Commission will consider a special exception request to allow the automotive complex — which also includes a go-cart track and a soapbox derby area — to be built on a 350-acre site between Interstate 75 and Highway 41 north of Cecil. Specifically, the site is between exits 32 and 37 on I-75.

That meeting will take place Dec. 12 at 6:30 p.m. in the offices of the Cook County Commission on North Parrish Avenue. Planners will also have to rezone the land, owned by Williams Investments, from Agricultural Use to Wholesale Light Industrial.

County Commissioners will take action on the rezoning and special exception requests on Dec. 16. at 6:30 p.m.

The race track would be built in conjunction with a new Reames Concrete plant which has outgrown its Adel location.

Cook County Economic Development Director Kerry Waldron said county officials are excited about the prospect of Dean’s development.

“(Dean) had an opportunity to look in our area, and we are very excited,” he said. “We’ve had very positive support from the community and think it’s a great opportunity for the community. This could affect lot of surrounding counties including Lowndes County. There are a lot of opportunities for partnerships. I think it’s to our advantage to keep this type of industry and tourism project in South Georgia.”

The key to any Cook County racing plans is extending water and sewer service to the site. The nearest available infrastructure is more than two miles away. Waldron said engineers were determining the total cost for the infrastructure improvements and that the county would seek a funding help from the state in the form of grants and low-interest loans. The OneGeorgia Authority and Community Development Block Grants are two potential funding sources, as are utility loans from the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority.

Cook County officials are especially excited, because providing water and sewer access to the site would open a 3,000 acre “megasite” for additional industrial development.

Waldron said the economic spillover from Dean’s track and Reames’ new plant could be substantial.

“We think this opportunity is tremendous because it would stir other retail and commercial opportunities,” he said. “It would also help existing commercial establishments. It is an opportunity to grow our retail, commercial and industrial bases as a result of these two projects.”

Waldron said his office had fielded a few phone calls from concerned citizens — mostly about noise — but said the site was well-ch





osen to minimize residential impact.

Hamilton County, Fla., is also hungry for the track, reportedly offering Dean free land, infrastructure in an area already zoned for a race track. Hamilton also has the interstate frontage and exposure Dean craves for his track, but might not be near enough restaurant and lodging options to support a development of that size.

Despite the interest from other areas, Langdale said Lowndes County is still Dean’s first choice. With portions of the south Lowndes economy struggling — especially the once-vibrant factory stores — Langdale said his client would like to see his home county pocket most of the economic benefit.

“We hate to move anything out of Lowndes County that’s where our roots are. But, I promise you, they’re making it awfully attractive. We really want to locate here. We’re concerned about the concerns of the neighbors. We don’t believe they’re real, but we want to do everything we can to satisfy them. Unfortunately, I don’t think we can satisfy them. I don’t think the government cares if its an economic benefit or not,” he said.

Dean’s rezoning request is pending before the Lowndes County Commission, which is expected to table it on Tuesday at the request of both Dean and his critics. Both parties are awaiting noise-study results.

Langdale said a decision on which site will be selected could come in as little as two weeks.

“As soon as Cook finalizes their actions, we’ll weigh and compare all the options,” he said.



To contact reporter Bill Roberts, please call 244-3400, ext. 245.