Clay Peak Recreation Area proves to be more than just another raceway
By Julie Engel - Argus Observer
Friday, March 2, 2007 1:04 PM PST
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| A fast-growing Poplar (right) will provide shade for one of the spectator sections at the Clay Peak Recreational Area’s motorcycle track. The county leased about 968 acres of land to Denise and Carl Morse, of Desert Mountain Promotions for the track. |
New promoters leasing the Clay Peak Recreational Area could make a positive economic impact for cities in Payette County if they continue to bring new motorcycle races to the area.
Denise and Carl Morse, of Desert Mountain Promotions, signed a lease with Payette County in December to take over about 968 acres at the Clay Peak Recreational Area.
Payette County Commissioner Rudy Endrikat said the commissioners were glad to hand promotions over to the Morses because they did not want to be in the motorcycle park business.
“Let that individual maintain it, and citizens of Payette County reap the benefits of having good economic development,” Endrikat said.
The promoters have high hopes of making Clay Peak a popular racing venue, and each new race could deliver more people to the county.
Promoters and officials hope those people will also plunk down cash when they arrive for the races.
Recreation and tourism money is the best kind, Endrikat said, because those who come to town spend their money and then go back home.
“There’s very little impact as far as services are concerned,” he said.
The economic impact from a race could be significant.
For example, racers and spectators buy gas and food from convenience stores, Payette County Economic Development Director Ron Wrest said, and they also look for a place to spend the night.
There is only one motel in Payette County, Wrest said, but as the promoters bring more people into the county, that could change. The races may be the push the county needs to draw hotels to the area, he said, because Payette County has many other events that draw spectators.
“The whole idea is to get them to spend money in the community,” Wrest said. Another positive aspect of tourism is bringing people to the area who have never seen it before, Wrest said. Those new visitors may notice the quality of living and that may entice them to relocate businesses here, Wrest said.
“I think they (events) bring in new people to view the area that have never been here before,” Wrest said. “When events bring new people into town they bring new thoughts, ideas and new money, which stays in the community and rolls there.”
The county took over operations of Clay Peak from the Payette County Recreation Department four or five years ago, Endrikat said. The park was in dire need of attention, he said, and the county slowly began to improve the park.
“When the county took it over it was a disaster,” Endrikat said. “We took it over knowing that it would be a tremendous recreation area.”
In order to help the Morses along in their endeavor, Endrikat said the commissioners decided to make the lease amount affordable for the first couple years.
This year, Endrikat said they paid $1 an acre, and the figure will go up incrementally each year.
As with any business, Endrikat said it takes time to start making money.
“We do not wish to saddle them with some tremendous amount, an outrageous fee, and put them under,” he said. “We want to grow with them, and they want to grow with us.”
In addition to the lease money coming in, Endrikat said the county will also take in 10 percent of everything made at the track.
The funds gathered from that percentage will go into the general fund, he said. Once the track establishes itself, Endrikat said the sky is the limit to how much the county could receive.
“That’s the ultimate goal — to take the burden off the taxpayers and give the taxpayers some of the money they invested,” Endrikat said.
No Dhimmi wrote on Aug 14, 2009 9:38 PM:
And this isn't "racist," because Islam is not a race, anymore than Communism or Nazism are races, both of which killed far fewer people than Islam.
Disgusting. "