Salem council OKs option to buy Quaker City Raceway

By D.a. Wilkinson

SALEM — Mayor Jerry Wolford has obtained an option to buy Quaker City Raceway at 10359 W. South Range Road.

Wolford told city council that the option is for one year at a cost of $10,000. The money would be refunded if the plan doesn’t work out, the mayor said.

The raceway and allied buildings are on 170 acres in Green Township in Mahoning County. The property does not adjoin Salem in Columbiana County, but Wolford said the property could eventually be annexed to the city.

It is the only area in which the city can grow, he said, noting that the city’s earlier industrial parks are full.

Wolford said about 75 acres would be available for development if the raceway continues to operate.

Dan Swindell, the owner who has been seeking a buyer for the property, will be running the track this year, city officials said.

The 2009 Super Nationals will be at the raceway June 19-21. The event attracts thousands of spectators to the track and customers at related events and restaurants in Salem.

The proposed purchase price for the property is $1 million. Wolford said he has been asking area legislators to help find funding for the purchase.

“We’re trying to apply for grants, stimulus money or whatever we can find,” the mayor said.

Council and the mayor met in a closed-door session for 45 minutes at the start of the meeting to discuss the option and purchase, which is allowed by law.

During the meeting that followed, Councilman Earl A. Schory II, an attorney, questioned the move, saying there was no line item in the city’s budget for the purchase.

The city’s income tax revenue was down for the first three months of this year by $48,867, compared to the first three months of 2008.

Schory wanted to slow the agreement until information about the possible return of the option payment was put into writing.

Before council approved the agreement, Councilmen David Nestic, who works with economic development programs, and Atty. Bret Apple, who has been involved in various property purchases in his profession, indicated that normally any agreements about the actual purchase would begin after the approval of the option.