[VIDEO] Corvette Museum Begins Clearing Land for the Motorsports Park

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[VIDEO] Corvette Museum Begins Clearing Land for Motorsports Park

The Motorsports Park near the National Corvette Museum continues to roar closer and closer to reality every day.

Crews hope to be done in 45 days as they began clearing the 184 acres of land last week for the track, which will be located off Porter Pike across from the museum on the opposite side of I-65.

The clearing hopefully is just a prelude to the official groundbreaking as early as next month, museum Executive Director Wendell Strode told The Bowling Green Daily News.

“You can already see a difference on the site from both Porter Pike and even the interstate,” Strode said.

Before the groundbreaking takes place, the museum has set a goal of raising $1 million toward the project. The total sits at $886,000 now, and Strode feels confident the goal will be reached and even surpassed.

The Motorsports Park won’t be cheap. The entire project is estimated to cost $16.45 million, including $9 million for the first phase that features an autocross area and one of two proposed tracks. Already, the museum has spent $2.7 million for the land, paid for in part by $2.5 million raised before the $1 million goal was set.

Don’t fret, though. The museum plans to finance the difference and put the pedal to the metal on the project, with the intention of opening the track by Labor Day 2014, just in time for the 2014 National Corvette Caravan and the 20th anniversary of the museum.

The park will pay dividends not only for the museum but also the community, Strode says.

The track won’t rely on spectators to make money. Instead, the museum plans to host about 70 events a year, including driving school and car club activities and vehicle testing by the nearby Bowling Green Corvette Assembly Plant.

Meanwhile, all the new activity at the park could mean an extra 35,000 to 70,000 room nights per year for visitors to Bowling Green, according to Strode.

By the way, interested parties can adopt an acre of land in the park for $15,000.

Here is a video from the Corvette Museum which shows the start of the land clearing:


Source:
Bowling Green Daily News

Related:
Corvette Museum Sets Groundbreaking for Motorsports Park in June
Rick Hendrick Contributes $100,000 to the Corvette Museum’s Motorsports Park
Corvette Museum’s Motorsports Park Hires Architect; Looks for Sponsorships

 



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