Support motocross

EDITOR:

The board of directors of the Carson Valley Visitors Authority, as the entity charged with promoting visitation to Carson Valley, strongly urges the county commission to approve its application to continue to allow the operation of the Nevada Motocross Park at its current location for an additional two years.

From the onset, this facility attempted to do two things; one was to provide a safe riding and competition venue for local residents of all ages. The other was to generate visitation and tourism dollars by attracting riders from outside the immediate area. They are not mutually exclusive, both can happen and both did.

We believe that the objections raised during the initial approval process; the suitability of the parcel, the impact on the operation of the animal shelter, the traffic, county liability, dust, water usage and noise have been shown to be much less impactful than feared. We have reported on those issues previously and support those reports.

We also reported on the economic impact of the events at the Nevada Motocross Park. Despite being a first year operation and operating outside the traditional racing season, the track hosted well over 3,000 riders and spectators and an additional 1,400 at its Big Air event.

Using industry standard methodology and software, the economic impact of day and overnight visitors to the track (which specifically excludes the expenditures of local residents) as reported to the commission earlier, was nearly $400,000. In a time when visitation numbers are not just shrinking, but falling rapidly, this is significant.

The CVVA understands that this location is not a permanent site for this activity, but while that permanent location is being sought, the momentum developed during the first year deserves to be leveraged.

Building a segment of the tourism business that is identifiable and viable is not an easy thing in 2010. It is not likely to get easier in the future. This segment, the motocross competitor and their families, is both identifiable and viable. The additional two years of operation will allow the activity to become well established and should demonstrate the viability of investment in a location that can host larger events.

We thank you for your consideration.

Board of Directors

Carson Valley Visitors Authority

Chairman Brian Fitzgerald

Carson Valley Arts Council

Vice Chairwoman Samantha Koblitz

Carson Valley Country Club Basque Restaurant

Treasurer Tom Brooks

Carson Valley Golf Course

Bill Henderson

Carson Valley Inn

Suzy Stockdale

Stockdale Creative

Lisa Granahan

Douglas County

Marie Stokes

Genoa Lakes Golf Club

Cheri Glockner

Carson Tahoe Regional Healthcare

Bill Chernock

Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Authority