Supporters of the NASCAR hall of fame got a $20,000 shot in the arm Monday from the Volusia Council of Governments. The council, made up of elected officials from across the county, gave nearly unanimous approval to help The Chamber, Daytona Beach/Halifax Area and other supporters win the hall of fame over contenders in Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Kansas City, Kan.; and Richmond, Va. Deltona Mayor John Masiarczyk issued the only dissenting vote, saying he didn’t want the group to set a precedent of giving money for countywide fund-raisers. Chamber President George Mirabal told VCOG members the money would help pay for consultants and other costs, such as the formal proposal package that has been estimated to cost $250,000. The facility is expected to cost between $70 million to $100 million. Leaders are looking for private backing, but won’t get a planned $30 million from the state. Lawmakers recently turned that proposal down, even though it included a plan to pay the money back with revenue from a state NASCAR license plate for cars.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(5-24-2005)
