Motorsports group seeks to take over county motorsports park; commission asks for lease and paperwork

Darcy Dennis, representing Ruff Rider Motorsports Southwest Speedway, told the County Commission that a local group wants to assume operations of the motorsports park and convert the operator role into a nonprofit board. Dennis said the plan would return the property to a club-style arrangement in which the group would rent the entire facility and continue coordinating events with existing motocross users.

Dennis said the past two years have been profitable and that the group plans to preserve as many current volunteers and operators as possible during the transition. Dennis asked the commission for approval in principle to proceed; commissioners responded that they want a formal lease in place. One commissioner said, “what we should do is originate a lease,” and asked whether the county’s state’s attorney, Amanda, had already drafted one. Staff advised that the county should originate a lease and have the organized nonprofit submit its paperwork and proposed terms. The current lease was referenced as expiring at the end of the year.

Commissioners asked for minor lease edits but expressed general support for moving forward. The commission asked the group to begin nonprofit paperwork and return the next month with incorporation documents and a formal proposal; the county’s attorney will draft a lease for the commission to consider. No formal vote was recorded; commissioners agreed to the plan to draft a lease and review the organized group’s submission.