S.J. Grand Prix Article in the SJMN

[sgw2]

The Mercury News had the following page 1 (boottom) story filed by David Pollak on Saturday 3-25


New S.J. Grand Prix course racing against time

The San Jose Grand Prix is having a hard time finding the starting line.

And while organizers and city officials think they have come up with a new and improved course, hurdles still need to be cleared and time is running out.

The original route, approved in december by the San Jose City Council for the July 31 race, began at HP Pavilion. But hundreds of thousands of dollars in unanticipated costs related to construction on two Highway 87 overpasses were the primary factor that forced organizers to look for another course at the last minute.

They came up with one, closer to the heart of downtown and more photogenic than the first, that begins just south of the Hilton hotel. But while it avoids the Highway 87 overpasses, it crosses light rail lines twice - and that has created another problem.

Because the race would disrupt light rail and downtown bus service, the Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority's board of directors needs to approve the course at its meeting Wednesday.

VTA general manager Peter Cipolla, howevere; is recommending that the board reject that request, saying that the agency's "first responsibility is to customers who depend on us for their daily transportation needs."

The transportation agnet would have to use buses to bridge the gap in the light rail service between Tamian Station south of downtown and the transit mall one block east of the new proposed course. Other bus lines also would have to be re-routed.

That would cost between $300,000 and $400,000, according to Cipolla, but money may not be a factor in the transit board's decision. The five city council members who sit on the 12-person board have pledged to pay the VTA's expenses.

In turn, David Cortese - one of the five - said Friday that the city would be reimbursed by the Canary Fund, the non-profit foundation organizing the race.

"We're absolutely not on the hook," Cortese said he was told by City Manager Del Borgsdorf. "Canary is paying the bills."

Cortese predicted the VTA board would approve the course, overruling the objections of Cipolla, whose tenure as general manager ends June 30. That would put matters in the city council's hands April 12.

If the course is changed, the extra costs linked to the light rail would recur every year of the race, which has a five-year deal; the additioal expenses tied to the Highway 87 construction along the original course would disappear once construction is completed in 2006.

Making things happen quickly is important. All of the necessary asphalt improvemnets - less extensive on the second route than the first - should be completed by April 30, for example.

(To be continued)

[sgw2]

(PART TWO)

Still, the president of the Canary Fund, which finances research into the early detection of cancer; insists open-wheel cars will be racing through the downtown as scheduled.

"We have an existing agreement with the city, and we are going to hold an event here in San Jose," Dale Jantzen said. He left open the possibility, however; that it might be necessary to turn to a third course if the VTA doesn't give its approval Wednesday.

At this point, no one can say for certain what the city's financial contribution would be to the new course. Initially Corteses pledged $1.6 million to secure the orginal site, most of the money for street and sidewalk repairs. The city's share was limited to a $7000,000 investment in improvements at HP Pavilion, which would be repaid if the race showed a profit.

That work wouldn't be required at teh downtown site. All financial matters related to the new course were still being sorted out, said Paul Krutko, the city's director of economic development.

Organizers see the grand prix becoming an annual event. City officials like the idea of 100,000 people pouring into downtown on race weekend, spending money in hotels and restaurants.

So how did things rach a point where everybody has been forced to come up with a new course and financial plan?

Contracts to add a commuter lane to Highway 87 were already approved when San Jose gave its De. 7 approval for the original course, which passes under Highway 87 twice - once just west of North Almaden Boulevard and once on West Santa Clara Street.

Adding the lanes requires extensive work on the overpass supports, and the scaffolding like structure needed to do that would narrow the track underneath to levels not acceptable to Champ Car; the sanctioning body for the race.

City officials then went to the VTA, which is managing the downtown segment of te Highway 87 project, to find out what it would take for the contractors to work around the race schedule.

Delays, the city was told, would cost up to $350,000 this year, when the project was in place at the North Almaden site, and $350,000 next year, when construction would be under way on West Santa Clara.

Both the city abd Canary say that while they were aware of the construction before signing the agreement, its impact was unknown.

"We all do as much diligence as we can ahead of time," Jantzen said, "but it's never 100 percent until we're actually into a program."

Both sides say there were other reasons the Canary Fund wanted to consider alternatve courses, but Jantzen declined to discuss them. Krutko said it was his understanding the downtown course allows for the expansion of the pit ares should more cars compete in the future. Eighteen or 19 cars are expected to compete this year.

Krutko acknowledged the effort to find a new course has occupied staff time for over the past month - from studies of policing needs to traffic disruption to negotiations with the VTA. But he wouldn't attempt to quantify the hours.

"That is just a normal part of our work program," Krutko said. "This is what an economic development office does."

[Raglanparade]

Anyone have a map of the new circuit ?

[Mosport67]

Well I'm glad I haven't booked my tickets yet.

We were giving consideration to attending this race. I think I will wait to see the new circuit.

[sgw2]

A map was included in the article.

I'll try to get a JPG of it

[Amar7605]

I am planning to attend this race. In my heart I think it'll be a hit. Let's hope that things will work out. I have a feeling that it will, because it looks like the VTA never said that there shouldn't be a race - they just don't want public transportation to be disrupted. It's a valid point.

Something will work out!

[sgw2]

(Personal Opinion)

I live nearby and I think it will happen. But it is not going to be pretty.

The 1st course was not attractive at all, and as we have found out had serious problems with infrastructure.

The 2nd course lay out is problematic and far more disruptive of downtwon business. Unless 100,000 people (not 3-day count of the same folks) actually buy tickets, and most of them come from out of town - rather than locals taking the rail to the track and then speeding back home at night - this is going to be a financial dissaster for San Jose.

Given Champ Car's recent track record of promotion and new street race attendance, as well as the collapse of the bay area TV numbers and crowds at Lagun Seca, I think we are looking at much less than the rosy number put up by Mr. Jantzen for the city to consume. I think a realistic attendance number would be 25-30,000, with 10-15,000 of the tickets heavily discounted or given away. Locals will be 80-90% of the crowd and very little addiional downtown business traffic will follow. In fact downtown business may suffer because attractions like the convention Center, Chavez Plazza, the Discovery Museum and the Tech Museum and access to the transit mall will be cut off or severely restricted.

I also have very serious doubts that a non-profit cancer research group can actually be expected to pay any bills. If the race loses money, as I expect based on Miami, Denver, Monterrey Mexico and Laguna Seca recent history, then I suspect Canary may be forced to fold rather than pay up. If the Fund has to divert donations for cancer to pay significant race expenses it could be fatal to the funds viability. This will probably leave the city holding the bag, or else Kevin Kalkhoven will have to once again dig into his wallet.

Perhaps yet another course, less diruptive of the downtown, will have to be come up with. I have fair confidence that this will happen. On the other hand the city council and mayor have a history of ignoring advice from finacial and govrenment experts such as VTA and doing as they please. So the 2nd course may go through for one year anyway.

[Mosport67]

sgw2

Keep us posted on this one. We were trying to decide between San Jose and Edmonton.

100,000 is never happening for tickets. We all know that. I think your guesses are about right for ticket numbers for a first year race in your market.

[Amar7605]

I agree. 100,000 will be a longshot at best. Especially if the location of the track is crappy or access to the track is difficult.

One great thing about Long Beach (as an example) is that it is easily accessible. The light rail system takes you straight to the track. And there is free parking at the train stations, and the round trip ticket costs around $5.00. Plus they have security patroling the parking lots, so you do not have to worry about your car being jacked. So, systems are in place already that makes life easy for the people, and thus everyone has more fun.

I hope that San Jose can figure this out.

[Rob29]

Great news-a race circuit with tramlines! Sounds more interesting than the first version,but I will await more news before spending $1000 on tickets & accomodation.