I'm writing. I'll say that I think they should consider Road Atlanta a treasure that is worth more to the area in terms of visibility and the admiration of many tens of thousands of road racers and automotive enthusiasts than the short term gain earned from building houses in that particular location. Although the developer may see this as a setback, the community as a whole will be much better served by preserving this internationally renouned track that will be bringing people to the area for many years to come. Simply build the homes somewhere else, instead of destroying an established and profitable track in favor of yet another housing development.
Edit - I wrote to the local paper, too.
"Ladies, Gentlemen,
I am not normally one to write these types of letters, but I just read on the
www.PreludeOnline.com forum that residential development right next to the Road Atlanta race track is being considered, and I feel I must offer my thoughts in the hope that this will not happen.
I hope you will consider the international reputation that the track has in your decisions regarding the proposed development adjacent to the track, and will come to consider it as a treasure that is worth more to the area in terms of the visibility and admiration of many tens of thousands of road racers and automotive enthusiasts, and millions of TV viewers of the races held there, than the short term gain earned from building houses in that particular location. Although the developer may see this as a setback, I believe that the community as a whole will be much better served by preserving this internationally renowned track that will be bringing people to the area for many years to come. The solution may be as simple as building the homes somewhere else, instead of destroying an established and profitable track in favor of yet another housing development, and asking the developer to look into developing a plan for the area that is compatible with the existing "neighborhood", and which perhaps would even fare better for having done so.
The sad truth is that when housing developments get too close to race facilities such as Road Atlanta, it spells the end for the facility. The people who buy the homes will certainly complain about the noise and the traffic, and they get to vote in local elections, while me and many more like me who either admire the place from afar, or who visit your area for the races, and are hoping the voters and community leaders would be able to see the big picture. I'm sure there are many local business people who feel the same.
I am simply a fan of road racing (I am not in the racing or automotive business.) who has always considered the fact that Road Atlanta is in your area to be a sign of a bold and progressive outlook, one that respects and appreciates the efforts of the type of people who built this facility, and one that recognizes and appreciates the grace and beauty of the types of racing done there, and in this NASCAR-dominated era at that. I grew up in North Carolina, and I have to say I was even a bit surprised, pleasantly so, to learn that you had such a track. And on top of that, the facility itself is beautiful, both the road coarse itself and the landscaping. (The landscape out here is usually brown.) The people who built it really do deserve some credit, and to not be driven out.
I honestly would like to visit the track to watch a race, and maybe even drive there a bit. I do pass through the Atlanta area on business from time to time, and I actually have been looking for the chance to schedule a layover just to get to the track for a race, or may even to drive there.
Sincerely,"
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