VIENNA Deadline is March 31 on whether to try to pursue indoor racetrack

THE VINDICATOR, YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO
VIENNA -- The Western Reserve Port Authority Board has set a deadline of March 31 to decide whether plans to bring an indoor motorsports racetrack to Trumbull County will go any further.
"We will all work our best effort to bring this to a conclusion -- go or no go," said Regional Chamber vice president Reid Dulberger, who has been working with potential developer Brant Motorsports of Morgantown, W.Va.
By a unanimous vote, the port authority board Wednesday decided to give chairman William Reali authority to negotiate a memorandum promising that the port authority won't use confidential information provided by Brant to work out a deal with any other indoor racetrack developers.
In return, the memorandum is expected to formalize a commitment by Brant not to take its idea to other communities.
The agreement was discussed at a board meeting two months ago. However, a memorandum provided by Brant was rejected because it alluded to financial commitments that the port authority did not have the authority to make, said Steve Bowser, acting director of the Youngstown Warren Regional Airport, which the port authority runs.
The next step in proceeding with Brant's plan to build a $300 million indoor racetrack in Vienna would be to undertake the second of three projected studies, expected to cost about $100,000.
The first study, completed last year, concluded that an indoor racetrack could be feasible in the Mahoning Valley. That study cost $60,000.