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NASCAR track in works? 2 groups interested in site near airport Wednesday, March 17, 1999 By Mark Belko, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
Two groups have expressed an interest in building a NASCAR race track on Allegheny County-owned land near Pittsburgh International Airport.
County officials are expected to meet Friday to discuss a proposal by one of the groups, Brant Motorsports Inc. of Morgantown, W.Va.
Brant representatives have approached the county with the idea of building a covered track - possibly open at each end - for National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing races. The complex also may feature exhibition space that could be used to display airplanes or race cars or for other events.
County Economic Development Director Mulugetta Birru said yesterday that two groups had expressed an interest in building a NASCAR track. He refused to identify either of them.
"They think Pittsburgh is a logical site for this kind of space. They want to explore it," he said.
But Birru said it could be weeks or months before any specific plan develops.
"It's at a very low level of discussion right now," he said.
During a talk with county public works employees last week, Commissioner Mike Dawida contended, without being specific, that there was an airport-area project in the works that was "bigger" than the David L. Lawrence Convention Center expansion or the new stadiums for the Pirates and Steelers. He refused to provide details.
Officials with Brant Motorsports., a marketing company involved in NASCAR and other types of racing, could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Brant apparently is looking at county land near the western edge of the airport for a track. Birru said the county has yet to give anybody an option on the land.
No details were available on the cost of the proposal, the size of the track, the amount of land that would be needed or whether the county would have any financial stake.
In 1997, attorneys for Coraopolis developers John and Richard Swartz said southwestern Pennsylvania was one of three areas under consideration for a massive entertainment complex that was possibly to include a NASCAR track.
It is not known whether the Swartzes are the second group that Birru said had an interest in building a track. Neither John or Richard Swartz, a father- son team who own Ace Tire & Parts Inc., could be reached for comment.
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