The Value of Calgary: Race City will cost Calgarians $3 million

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Race City will cost Calgarians $3 million

Nicole Butz
News Reporter

Calgary City Council met on Monday to discuss whether or not to renew Race City’s lease on 64 hectares of city owned land in the southeast. In a vote 8-7 it was decided that Race City could keep the land for another five years and ensure that the entrance is protected when the Shepard landfill is redesigned. The lease is now extended to 2015.
The money going towards directly subsidizing this private business will total approximately $3 million and come from taxpayer’s money. Mayor Dave Bronconnier says that this could result in about a 0.35% increase in taxes.
Race City has many supporters in order to play an active role to keep street racing off Calgary roads. However, the city needs the land to build a storm water system for the landfill. The city is now planning on building a smaller storm water system off site. When the land is acquired back from Race City, at the end of their lease, there will be plans to rebuild the storm water system. This action is said to cost the city more money overall than building on the 64 hectares right away as originally planned. The process of debating whether or not to keep Race City has sparked a lot of arguments from City Council as well as street racers and taxpayers.

http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090929/CGY_race_city_090929/20090929/?hub=CalgaryHome city_090929/20090929/?hub=CalgaryHome

http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/Race+City+gets+green+light+stay+from+Calgary+City+Council/2043875/story.html stay+from+Calgary+City+Council/2043875/story.html

http://www.calgarysun.com/news/alberta/2009/09/29/11180106-sun.html

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Thursday, October 1, 2009

Race City will cost Calgarians $3 million

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