In a news conference at Richmond International Raceway before last night’s Nextel Cup Series race, the proposed hall was revealed as a 129,000 square-foot building (including 68,000 square feet of exhibits) on about a 20-acre tract of land. Architectural firms with experience on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Baseball Hall of Fame and Smithsonian Museum of Natural History are designing the blueprint. An economic analysis predicted the hall would be attended by 700,000 visitors in the first year. The study said competing cities Kansas City, Kan., Daytona Beach, Fla., Charlotte, N.C., and Atlanta would draw hundreds of thousands fewer fans annually. An economic impact study projected a $6 million growth in tax revenue — $4.7 million to the state and $1.3 million to Henrico County. The details need to be finalized by the May 31 deadline for submitting bids to NASCAR. NASCAR reportedly will announce the winning city at its Dec.2 awards banquet in New York.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(5-15-2005)
