Fort Worth Star-Telegram from Fort Worth, Texas • 2

Section A Page 2 Star-Telegram Monday March 30 1998 South lake police not worried about NASCAR traffic 1 i i 1 I BY DOMINGO RAMIREZ JR Star-Telegram Staff Writer Officials say planning paved parking spots will ease congestion tions he said In Keller Police Chief Bill Griffith said the city will not add officers for the weekend During last year's races the city experienced few traffic problems he said "But we have requested that no one take a vacation this year during the weekend of the races" Griffith said No streets in Trophy Club are expected to be closed during the weekend said David Miller police chief of the Trophy Club Department of Public Safety "We'll just add a few officers to control intersections in the city" Miller said Fannan said he will be on duty throughout the weekend What happens to his plans if it rains as it did last year? "I'll just put the poncho on and we'll go on" he said i- hawn Fannan says he didn't have to deal with any traffic nightmares when professional stock car racing made its North Texas debut last year The South lake Department of Public Safety officer hopes for the same smooth ride this weekend when NASCAR drivers compete at Texas Motor Speedway When Fannan worked bicycle patrol onl'exas 114 during the inaugural races at'the speedway he saw his share of bumper-to-bumper traffic Some motorists tried to create lanes that didn't exist And some fans couldn't wait to use the speedway's restrooms But in general Fannan and other law enforcement officials along routes to the speedway in far north Fort Worth say police firefighters and other city employees in South lake will be on duty during the weekend Finn said Eight bicycle officers with the South-lake DPS and two four-wheelers have been assigned to highways and streets Finn said "The people on the four-wheelers will have gasoline water and small tools to help motorists" Finn said "Last year the worst traffic backup was the hours before the start of the race on Sunday But it didn't last too long" Roanoke Police Chief Tim Taylor estimated that eight or nine officers will be on duty during the weekend An additional 20 Fort Worth police officers will also be assigned to the city to help at intersec both races Friday Area police say they're fully prepared A $6 million upgrade to the speedway including $45 million for paved parking spots will be an added benefit authorities say Several cities along routes to the races including Interstate 35W Texas 114 US 377 and Farm Road 156 will have additional police and city employees to help motorists officials say But the numbers won't be as large as last year "With one year under our belts we know what to expect" said Robert Finn a spokesman with the South lake DPS "We found out that we didn't need as many people to handle the traffic" About 60 public works employees they had few problems "It wasn't anything like Rock Fest" Farman said "Now there was a traffic problem We just didn't expect it" The Rock Fest '97 concert in June drew a huge crowd to the speedway estimates ranged from 250000 to 400000 and caught police by surprise That latter fact spells the difference between the races and the concert Fannan said "The rain didn't help last year but we were ready" he said of the NASCAR events Racing returns with the Coca-Cola 300 at 1 pm Saturday and the Texas 500 at 1 pm Sunday Practice sessions will be Thursday with qualifying for I I 1 I I I 4 Speedway Rangers fans hopeful after spring success From Page 1 kJ: 5 i i 4 Special to the Star-TelegrainiSPFNcLa COOK Luis Ramirez of Landtech Systems waters the newly sodded lawn of the Lone Star Tower clubhouse yesterday afternoon in preparation of this week's races at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth ond-best exhibition record in the major leagues behind Boston Tomorrow afternoon's season opener pits the Rangers against the Chicago White Sox and the weather could be similar The forecast calls for 15 to 30 mph winds and mostly sunny skies with a high temperature of about 73 Blake said fans should try to arrive as early as possible The Ballpark's gates open at 10:30 am Batting practice will start at 11 am and the game will get under way at 1:35 pm he said Parking costs $7 unless you want to opt for the hassle-free approach valet parking Just pull up to the front of the Diamond Club on Ballpark Way hand over your keys and $20 and make your way inside Blake said there will be plenty of pregame festivities Doug Leonard 10 of Double Oak will throw the first pitch Doug is being recognized as this year's Texas Hero for pulling his unconscious 4-year-old sister from the bottom of the family's swimming pool She made a full recovery Ad Vance ticket sales are 4 strong and tomorrow's season opener is sold out By BRIAN CRECENTE Star-Telegram Staff Writer tkiMNGTON Brisk ticket sals have assured the Rangers of a sel1put for their opener tomorrow and the team breezed its way to 21 viaories in the exhibition season So it's a good thing for the teard that fans didn't seem to put much weight into a wind-swept bkout at The Ballpark in ArlingtonIesterday as the Houston Astros blasted the Rangers 10-5 About 22300 fans showed up at he Ballpark to watch the final exhibition game of the year Tomorrow's season opener sold otft Priday said John Blake Rangers vice president of public ret4tions think they are very encouraged" he said "Advance sales are pretty good Sales were very very very strong last week" Blake said the team's winning prestason performance probably has -a lot to do with it The Rangers finished 21-10 the sec TEAS 500 SCHEDULE built and we had races for the first time last year but that doesn't create a history" There's plenty at stake say Fort Worth leaders who see the Texas Motor Speedway and its massive crowds as a rare chance to showcase the city on a national stage The economic effect they say also cannot be overlooked Some 350000 people crammed into the speedway near Alliance Airport over three days last April half of them traveling more than 150 miles to get there Economists estimate the speedway's financial impact at better than $100 million annually close to a third of it in Fort Worth alone Speedway General Manager Eddie Gossage concedes that North Texas isn't exactly like motorsports-crazed Charlotte NC but he believes that it has taken some big steps "Charlotte has 37 years We've got one" Gossage said "You can't force history But it's really up to Fort Worth whether it wants to be known as a racing 'city" The speedway will begin its second year of operation this weekend first with the Coca-Cola 300 Busch Grand National Series race Saturday followed by the Texas 500 Winston Cup race Sunday Just as Arlington leaders have tried to tie the Rangers and baseball to the image of their city officials in Fort Worth are working a similar angle to attract race-goers into the heart of the city Race Fest a NASCAR-themed festival created to introduce tourists to downtown and Fort Worth residents to NASCAR is their main bait The free event in Sundance Square will be open from 11 am to midnight Friday and Saturday With scheduled appearances by drivers Jeff Burton Dale Earnhardt Jr and Ricky Rudd musical performances by Freddy Fender Brian Houser and Betty Lynn Cade the presence of the Budweiser Clydesdales and a driving simulator organizers hope that this year's festival turnout exceeds last year's rain-plagued event The Convention Visitors Bureau and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce will staff booths at the speedway to pass out information on other attractions in the city and the bureau will survey speedway visitors as part of a tourism study But because the speedway is 20 miles north of downtown Fort Worth and because Dallas has better name recognition nationally officials have struggled to maintain Fort Worth's identity Harman said there are more highway traffic signs near the speedway directing drivers to Dallas or Denton than to Fort Worth For its part the speedway has put the Fort Worth name on the inside of its track its entrance gates its giant marquee and its advertisements But Gossage contends that Fort Worth isn't doing all that it can to support the speedway "We get much greater corporate sponsorship from Dallas than Fort Worth and that's frustrating" he said "I see their support of other sports venues but I don't see them here I see signs all over town promoting TCU and the Stock Show but I don't see them for the speedway" Robert and Nancy Burbank a Florida couple who travel to many NASCAR races said that they didn't know the difference between Fort Worth and Dallas when they attended the first race last year "We didn't go to Dallas" Robert Burbank said of the couple's trip last year "We went to Billy Bob's that Friday night and we drove around town a little bit THURSDAY 8 am: Gates open 10 am-noon: Busch Grand National practice pm: Winston Cup practice pm: Busch Grand National practice pm: Winston Cup practice 5-7 pm: Legends practice FRIDAY 8 am: Gates open am: Busch Grand National practice 11 pm: Winston Cup practice pm: Busch Grand National practice pm: Winston Cup practice 2 pm: Busch Grand National qualifying (positions 1-36) 2 laps 3:30 pm: Winston Cup qualify ing (positions 1-25) 1 lap pm: Busch Grand National final practice pm: Legends practice and races SATURDAY 8 am: Gates open am: Winston Cup practice 11 am: Winston Cup qualifying (positions 26-36) 1 lap 1 pm: Start of Coca-Cola 300 Busch Grand National race (300 miles 200 laps) followed by one-hour Winston Cup practice (time permitting) pm: Legends races SUNDAY 8 am: Gates open 12:15 pm: Winston Cup drivers introduction 1 pm: Start of Texas 500 Winston Cup race (500 mites 334 laps) A TODAY'S STARVOTE QUESTION: In the aftermath of the Arkansas school shootings should there be stricter gun control measures? TiVOTE scryEBy INTERNET PHONE: wwwstar- 336-STAR press telegramcom 22 1801 and follow starvote instructions 7 PREVIOUS QUESTION: Should executive privilege extend to conversations between Hillary Clinton and White House aides? YES: 91 NO: 252 Not Sure: 8 Questions are changed on Guideline Tuesday and Thursday at noon DRYER FOR SALE Kenmore Dryer: Perfect condition! $125 "Sold it on the first day to the first person" Fort Worth It was interesting but it was pretty rainy so we didn't get out as much" Despite last year's rain and traffic jams the economic impact of the racing weekend in the Metroplex was noteworthy Hotel occupancy rates and average room charges last April were up significantly compared with April 1996 according to PKF Consulting a Houston firm that tracks hotelmotel trends In Fort Worth 70 percent of the rooms were full compared with just under 60 percent the previous April Hotelmotel occupancy rates in Northeast Tarrant County jumped from 71 percent to 82 percent Dallas hotels reported an increase from 66 percent to 69 percent Although the speedway is avoiding millions of dollars in property taxes through an agreement with the city officials point to the completion of the speedway's condominium tower which is likely to put a $25 million valuation on the tax rolls of Fort Worth Denton County and the Northwest school district Gossage said the speedway contributed $380000 to the city' from April sales tax revenues but it is difficult to pick out the effect overall Total city sales tax revenues for April 1997 amounted to almost $44 million an increase of about 8 percent over April 1996 hardly the spike in revenues that many people expected City and state officials said that they have no explanation except that some businesses file only quarterly reports and that apparently sales were down in other places around the city during the same time But they contend that there's more to the speedway than tax revenues Harman said the speedway helps put Fort Worth in the "national sports big leagues" Gull be sold RMICLASS 21333 )eyegrrvel ww siar-telegramscom Star-Telegram Operating Ltd )KNIGHT RIDDER) Contact us at these E-mail addresses: a a JLE1W PMP Lotto Texas numbers drawn Saturday March 28 newsmomstar-telegramcom lettersstarielegramcom paperstar-telegramcom bizstar-telegramcom teaturesstar-telegramcom sportsstar-telegramcom interactstar-telegramcom classifiedstar-telegramcom salesstar-telegramcom supportstar-telegramcom News Letters to the editor Customer Service Business Lifestyles Sports Inter Act Classified Online advertising Online support Online Newspaper Award Recipient 1997 1998 Texas Associated Press Managing Editors 3 19 26 31 36 50 MEM OBITUARY Listing No tickets matched at six numbers The jackpot was worth $4 million 79 tickets matched all five of six numbers for $1756 4545 tickets matched four of six for $110 each and 88959 tickets matched three of six for $3 each 400 Seventh St Fort Worth Texas 76102 3201 Airport Freeway Suite 108 Bedford 76022 1111 Abram Arlington 76013 TO SUBSCRIBE or to report a delivery problem dial DEL-IVER (335-4837) Outside Tarrant County call toll-free (800) 776-STAR (-7827) DELIVERY INFORMATION Monday-Friday 5 am-7 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