South Kitsap raceway backers make pitch for public funds

Kitsap

SILVERDALE — Supporters of a planned raceway in South Kitsap are seeking public money to rev up their motorsports project.

Circuit of the Northwest LLC, which plans to build a road course and events center on 230 acres at the Port of Bremerton, has pitched its proposed $35 million motorsports park to the Kitsap Public Facilities District. The facilities district taps a state sales tax rebate to fund projects that benefit the region. Legislation passed in 2017 extended funding for the district and the board is accepting new proposals this year.

Circuit of the Northwest partner Brian Nilsen believes public involvement in the raceway project makes sense because the facility could be a boon for Kitsap, bringing economic activity to the area and hosting events for local organizations such as law enforcement agencies, car clubs and schools.

"We think there's a really big community benefit from this project," Nilsen said. "We don't want to have just a private track."

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At a special meeting in Silverdale on Monday, the public facilities district board voted to pay for a $60,000 market study that will determine what elements of the proposed facility are in demand in the area and how the track might benefit the county. Frost Motorsports LLC of Illinois will conduct the study over the next month.

Public facilities district Executive Director Mike Walton said if the results of the market study are positive, the district could work with the port to make improvements to the proposed raceway property, which lies west of Highway 3 near Bremerton National Airport.

Circuit of the Northwest would operate the facility. Details of the arrangement, including how much money each group would contribute, have yet to be hammered out.

The public facilities district board approved a memorandum of understanding Monday ensuring it will cooperate with the port on the market study and share the results.

Broad support

The Circuit of the Northwest raceway would provide space for autocross, motocross, and karting events, driving skills training, emergency response training, automotive research and development, classes, concerts and festivals, according to materials provided to the public facilities district board. A STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education lab is also proposed.

Circuit of the Northwest hired German engineering firm Tilke to design the track. The project has land use and environmental approvals in place, according to backers.

The existing Bremerton motorsports park, located on a vacant airstrip east of the airport, provides a venue for a host of auto clubs and a training ground for police and fire departments. Circuit of the Northwest leases land for the motorsports park from the Port of Bremerton.

Plans for the new raceway have gained support from a host of local elected officials. Representatives from Bremerton, Port Orchard, Kitsap County and the port testified in favor of the proposal at the public facilities district meeting Monday. Superintendents of Bremerton, Central Kitsap and South Kitsap school districts signed letters of support.

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"I think it would be a great opportunity for job growth," state Rep. Michelle Caldier, R-Port Orchard, said at the meeting, adding she would advocate for the project in the Legislature.

County Commissioner Charlotte Garrido noted previous projects funded by the public facilities district were in Bremerton, Central Kitsap and North Kitsap.

"It's exciting to see finally a project in South Kitsap," she said.

Members of several groups already using the Bremerton Motorsports Park also turned out to promote the new raceway concept.

Kitsap County Sheriff's Sgt. Mike Merrill said law enforcement agencies from across the Kitsap and Olympic peninsulas use the facility for intensive vehicle training. Building the new raceway would ensure those agencies have a local track to hone their skills on, he said.

"It's a facility we really need to have access to," Merrill said.

New funds available

Formed under legislation passed in the 1990s, Kitsap Public Facilities District used state sales tax rebate to fund construction of Kitsap Conference Center in Bremerton, Kitsap Fairgrounds Events Center and North Kitsap Regional Events Center.

Rules for using the rebate stipulated projects had to break ground prior to 2004, meaning the district couldn't take on new projects over the past decade, though it continued to fund improvements to its original projects. Legislation passed last year allows new projects to be funded and extended the tax rebate through 2041.

Walton said the district is seeking project proposals through the end of 2018. The projects have to have an overall cost of more than $10 million and the partnering organization must pony up at least a one-third match for funds provided by the district.

For information on Kitsap Public Facilities District, go to kitsap-pfd.org.

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