• About
    • About Us
    • What We Cover
  • Advertise
    • Advertise
    • Our Advertisers
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Send News
  • Subscribe

Oak Ridge Today

  • Home
  • Sign in
  • News
    • Business
    • Community
    • Education
    • Government
    • Health
    • Police and Fire
    • U.S. Department of Energy
    • Weather
  • Sports
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • Recreation
    • Rowing
    • Youth
  • Entertainment
    • Arts
    • Dancing
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Television
    • Theater
  • Premium Content
  • Obituaries
  • Classifieds




Motorsports park will not be built in Oak Ridge

Posted at 5:26 pm April 6, 2021
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Horizon-Center-Motorsports-Track-6-Feb-11-2020
Part of the site where a test track and research facility or motorsports park was proposed on the back side of Horizon Center in west Oak Ridge is pictured above on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The proposed motorsports park will not be built in Oak Ridge, the developer announced Tuesday after learning that an environmental impact statement would be required, and that the study could cost several million dollars and take several years.

Rusty Bittle, developer and founding partner of the Oak Ridge Motorsports Park, said he would try to relocate the proposed project. The name will be changed as well, Bittle said.

“After more than a year of discussions between the City of Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board, and the U.S. Department of Energy, Bittle decided to relocate the project to another East Tennessee community that offers more attractive options for the project,” a press release said.

“An East Tennessee motorsports park is a legacy project for me,” Bittle said in the press release. “The State of Tennessee has a reputation for automotive excellence, we are leading the way on advanced transportation technologies like electric vehicles, lightweight composites, and artificial intelligence. A motorsports park will help the state and host community build an international reputation for next generation transportation technologies and become a tourism destination for automotive enthusiasts.”

The project was proposed about 18 months ago. Bittle said the discussions involved the Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board and the U.S. Department of Energy. An environmental assessment of the development site at the Horizon Center was completed, and the City of Oak Ridge drafted a new zoning district to accommodate the special needs of the project, the press release said.

Advertisement

It said the U.S. Department of Energy sent a letter to the IDB last week that outlined next steps.

“The letter explained if the land uses at the Horizon Center changed from the agreed upon uses in 2003 between the City of Oak Ridge and DOE (manufacturing and processing plants, research and development, warehousing and wholesaling facilities, public or semipublic uses, offices and services industries), the IDB or ultimately ORMP would be responsible for the costs associated with the required environmental impact statement (EIS) and mitigation,” the press release said. “A motorsports park was not explicitly noted as a use; therefore, an EIS would be required for the project to proceed. The additional testing could cost an excess of $7 million and take an upwards of 3-4 years, with no guarantees that final approval would be received.”

“Ultimately, this new information has led me to identify another host community in East Tennessee,” Bittle said in a social media post.

In the press release, Bittle described the decision as “tough” and thousands of people had supported the project.

“I am excited about potential new locations, and I think our supporters and motorsports enthusiasts from around the country will be too,” Bittle said. “I look forward to sharing specific details very soon.”

The press release said the new locations under review are “shovel ready,” meaning the host communities have zoning in place to accommodate Bittle’s motorsports park concept and parcels with 300 acres or more contiguous property “unencumbered by governmental bureaucracy.”

The press release said a market study and analysis of the Oak Ridge Motorsports Park showed ORMP would generate $93 million in its first five years and up to $110 million under a best-case scenario. The analysis was conducted by an independent consulting firm retained by Tilke Engineers & Architects, recognized as one of the most experienced companies when it comes to design, engineering, and construction oversight in the motorsports world, the press release said. Bittle has retained Tilke to to draft the concept for the park and design and manage construction of the park as the project progresses.

“There are so many communities in East Tennessee that are looking for innovative ways to grow their economy and rebuild after the global pandemic,” Bittle said. “I look forward to being part of their future.”

The proposed motorsports park had supporters but also opponents. Among the concerns raised by opponents was the potential noise from a motorsports park on the west side of town and the effects on nature and animals, including in the Black Oak Ridge Conservation Easement next to Horizon Center.

Bittle said he will share more information about the new locations and rebranding the motorsports park as the project progresses. You can learn more on the project’s Facebook page.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

You can contact John Huotari, owner and publisher of Oak Ridge Today, at (865) 951-9692 or [email protected]

Most news stories on Oak Ridge Today are free, brought to you by Oak Ridge Today with help from our advertisers, sponsors, and subscribers. This is a free story. Thank you to our advertisers, sponsors, and subscribers. You can see what we cover here.


Do you appreciate this story or our work in general? If so, please consider a monthly subscription to Oak Ridge Today. See our Subscribe page here. Thank you for reading Oak Ridge Today.

We also accept donations. You can donate here.

Copyright 2021 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Filed Under: Business, Business, Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Slider, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: City of Oak Ridge, Horizon Center, motorsports park, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board, Oak Ridge Motorsports Park, Rusty Bittle, U.S. Department of Energy

Advertisements

Join the club!

If you appreciate our work, please consider subscribing. Besides helping us, your subscription will give you access to our premium content.

Most of our stories are free, brought to you by Oak Ridge Today with help from our members—advertisers, subscribers, and sponsors.

But some are premium content, available only to members. Those are in-depth, investigative, or exclusive stories that are available only on Oak Ridge Today. They generally require at least four hours to report, write, and publish.

You can subscribe for as little as $5 per month.

You can read more about your options here.

We currently offer five primary subscription options to readers, and they include benefits.

Basic

  • Basic monthly subscription ($5 per month)—access premium content
  • Basic annual subscription ($60 per year)—access premium content

Pro

  • Pro monthly subscription ($10 per month)—access premium content, get breaking news emails first, and submit one press release or public service announcement per month
  • Pro annual subscription ($100 per year)—save $20 per year, access premium content, get breaking news emails first, and submit one press release or public service announcement per month

Temporary

  • Temporary access ($3 per week for two weeks)

We also have advanced subscription options. You can see them here.

We also accept donations. You can donate here.

If you prefer to send a check for a subscription or donation, you may do so by mailing one to:

Oak Ridge Today
P.O. Box 6064
Oak Ridge, TN 37831

Thank you for your consideration and for reading Oak Ridge Today. We appreciate your support.

Commenting Guidelines

We welcome comments, but we ask you to follow a few guidelines:

1) Please use your real name, including last name. Please also use a valid e-mail address.
2) Be civil. Don't insult others, attack their character, or get personal.
3) Stick to the issues.
4) No profanity.
5) Keep your comments to a reasonable length and to a reasonable number per article.

We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these guidelines. Comments held for review, usually from those posting for the first time, may not post if they violate these guidelines. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Thank you also for reading Oak Ridge Today and for participating in the discussion.

More information is available here.

More Business News

THDA grant will help with down payment assistance in Oak Ridge

Pictured above in front row are, left to right, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson, Oak Ridge Housing Authority Commissioner Tom Beehan, Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, state Rep. John … [Read More...]

Horizon-Center-Motorsports-Track-6-Feb-11-2020

Motorsports park will not be built in Oak Ridge

Part of the site where a test track and research facility or motorsports park was proposed on the back side of Horizon Center in west Oak Ridge is pictured above on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak … [Read More...]

The Other One Diner moving to Turnpike

The Other One Diner and Dive is moving from Grove Center to Oak Ridge Turnpike, the restaurant announced Tuesday morning. Because of the move, the restaurant will be closed for the rest of the week. When it … [Read More...]

City of Oak Ridge Seal

Planning Commission to discuss site plans for storage facility, apartments

The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission will discuss a site plan for the planned storage facility at Main Street Oak Ridge and apartments on Emory Valley Road on Thursday. The storage facility would be built along … [Read More...]

Lavender Festival Overview

Lavender Festival will not be held this year

The annual Lavender Festival in June 2014 is pictured above in Jackson Square in Oak Ridge. (File photo by Ray Smith) The Lavender Festival will not be held again this year, organizers announced Sunday after … [Read More...]

More Business

More Government News

THDA grant will help with down payment assistance in Oak Ridge

Pictured above in front row are, left to right, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson, Oak Ridge Housing Authority Commissioner Tom Beehan, Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, state Rep. John … [Read More...]

Final Breakfast with the Legislators of the year is Monday

The final Breakfast with the Legislators of this year is on Monday. The meeting will be virtual, meaning you can access it online. The meeting is scheduled from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Monday, April 26. It is sponsored by … [Read More...]

National Park Service asks for public comments about Manhattan Project Park

An undated aerial photo posted online by the U.S. Department of Energy Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management shows the former K-25 Building, once the world's largest building, in west Oak Ridge. The building has … [Read More...]

ORAU will support COVID-19 communications for CDC Office of Minority Health & Health Equity

ORAU was recently awarded a contract by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (OMHHE) to provide technical communications support to the office and three COVID-19 … [Read More...]

Governor authorizes $10,000 reward in Thomas Thrasher death investigation

The Oak Ridge Police Department and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation investigated the death of a 29-year-old man found dead in a second-floor apartment at this Rolling Hills Apartments building in Oak Ridge on Monday, … [Read More...]

More Government

More U.S. Department of Energy News

Demolition work at ORNL radioisotope lab could be complete this spring

A view of the demolition of a hot cell inside a protective cover at the former Radioisotope Development Lab at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. (Photo courtesy UCOR) Demolition work at a former radioisotope laboratory … [Read More...]

National Park Service asks for public comments about Manhattan Project Park

An undated aerial photo posted online by the U.S. Department of Energy Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management shows the former K-25 Building, once the world's largest building, in west Oak Ridge. The building has … [Read More...]

ORAU will support COVID-19 communications for CDC Office of Minority Health & Health Equity

ORAU was recently awarded a contract by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (OMHHE) to provide technical communications support to the office and three COVID-19 … [Read More...]

Virtual talks on Weinberg and his archived papers on Apr. 20

“A Tribute to Alvin Weinberg,” including information on the new online database of his scientific publications and other documents, will be presented virtually to the public from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 20 (Weinberg’s … [Read More...]

Public notice: Draft environmental assessment for Y-12 Development Organization at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION AT 103 PALLADIUM WAY, HORIZON CENTER INDUSTRIAL PARK, OAK RIDGE, TENNESSEE (DOE/EA-2159) The U.S. … [Read More...]

More DOE

Recent Posts

  • THDA grant will help with down payment assistance in Oak Ridge
  • Demolition work at ORNL radioisotope lab could be complete this spring
  • Final Breakfast with the Legislators of the year is Monday
  • Roane State has training exercise Wednesday
  • Dogwood Junior Championship Regatta in Oak Ridge this weekend
  • National Park Service asks for public comments about Manhattan Project Park
  • DEA Drug Take-Back Day is Saturday
  • Register online now for ORICL summer courses
  • Roane State to host COVID-19 vaccination clinics in Oak Ridge for students & employees
  • ORAU will support COVID-19 communications for CDC Office of Minority Health & Health Equity

Search Oak Ridge Today

About Us

About Oak Ridge Today
What We Cover

How To

Advertise
Subscribe

Contact Us

Contact Oak Ridge Today

Copyright © 2021 Oak Ridge Today