Had to fire off a letter to The Charlotte Observer to try and beat-back some of the myopic exceptionalism that surrounds this NASCAR hall of fame business. To wit:
To the Editor:
NASCAR hall of fame booster Nelson Schwab forgets that Canton, Ohio’s historical connection to pro football, via the Canton Bulldogs and the actual founding of the NFL in a Canton car dealership, is absolutely parallel to that of Charlotte’s connection to stock car racing, (“Can hall cities deliver promised crowds?,” June 11).
Within 100 miles of Canton some of the best, most tradition-rich high school football in America is played, with entire towns empting on Friday nights to sit in bleachers by the thousands. Within a few hours’ drive you’ll find the home bases of proud NFL franchises and storied college football powerhouses, each claiming millions of loyal fans. Culturally the pro football hall belongs in Canton as much as a NASCAR one belongs in Charlotte.
And yet this natural affinity for football has not translated into ever-surging crowds at Canton’s pro football half of fame. More importantly, the mere presence of the hall has not kept jobs from leaving Stark County as the local economy struggles to update its manufacturing sector.
Similarly, a NASCAR hall that drains millions of dollars each year from Charlotte’s economy via dedicated taxes and upkeep costs will not be a net asset. Accordingly real fans of Charlotte, the city, are rooting for Atlanta or Kansas City or Daytona to “win” this booby-prize.
Sincerely,
Jeff A. Taylor
Hope I spelled booby right.
