Miller Motorsports Park craziness
- Thread starter N-Smooth
- Start date
Houndoc
Registered User
- Location
- Grantsville
Safe to say they are not closing out of the idea of the prison become a neighbor since LHM Group owns the land the being considered as a prison site.
I can't imagine that someone would not come in a take over the track. Way too much money already invested.
I can't imagine that someone would not come in a take over the track. Way too much money already invested.
I saw that in the tribune article. I didn't know LHM group owned the land being considered for the prison. That makes even more sense now
- Location
- SPANISH FORK, UTAH
The news said it had nothing to do with the prison, the track is a business that is not viable. The county gets 5% of all money brought in by Millers and that was in the $250000 range last year.
What I wonder about is if Millers will tear it down or what their lease agreement is if they were to leave.. If they just leave it does the County have the ability to let someone else lease it with the same 5% deal? Could someone just walk into the lease and take over? The news said they have over 90 full time employees, that's a pretty good monthly payroll, plus all the utilities and Maintenance. If 5% is $250000 and there are 90 full time employees, that place is a giant hole to throw money in. For Larry, if it was costing him a million here and there it probably wasn't a big deal, plus I bet it probably did better when it was new and he was alive.
What I wonder about is if Millers will tear it down or what their lease agreement is if they were to leave.. If they just leave it does the County have the ability to let someone else lease it with the same 5% deal? Could someone just walk into the lease and take over? The news said they have over 90 full time employees, that's a pretty good monthly payroll, plus all the utilities and Maintenance. If 5% is $250000 and there are 90 full time employees, that place is a giant hole to throw money in. For Larry, if it was costing him a million here and there it probably wasn't a big deal, plus I bet it probably did better when it was new and he was alive.
glockman
I hate Jeep trucks
- Location
- Pleasant Grove
I have never understood decisions made out there. They build a national motocross track that goes across the asphalt so it can't be ridden every weekend by amateurs. That alone would generate a bunch of money. Have a motorsports Park that really has something for common people that there is a market for. Toole won't be able to run even a small portion of it. They can't keep desert peaks fully open.
Tonkaman
Well-Known Member
- Location
- West Jordan
I feel bad for all the people who depend on the track for work. There are several companies who are based out of the shops there and will take a real hit without it.
- Location
- Sandy, Ut
So many angles to this dilemma but I liken it to the drive-in theater you used to visit as a teenager. Everyone is sad when they tear it down and build apartments, but ask them the last time they went and they can't recall... but they keep meaning to go 
The money simply wasn't there and it is unrealistic and ridiculous to assume the Miller family should continue too subsidize the track when the end of the tunnel was nowhere in sight. I don't think the prison had anything to do with the decision and the LHM Group has indicated the same. You can listen to their extended explanation here: https://audioboom.com/boos/3164816-why-is-miller-motorsports-park-closing
Let's face it, Sunday sporting events don't bring in box office results in Utah and the track was grossly overbuilt for the Utah market even if Sunday sales were on par with Saturday's which they were not by a long shot. They invested heavy on a chance, continued to plug holes and finally said enough is enough. I don't blame them one bit for stopping the hemorrhaging.
Had the track been in SL County as originally inspired (thwarted by environmental and political concerns) I think things might have ended differently. Had they built a $7M-50M site perhaps it could have stayed on course? In the end you have a $125M facility that didn't cover it's spread so it was an unwise decision to continue. I have no doubt another company (perhaps a race track management firm?) will step in and run all or part of the track, too much resource there to be had at a discount. For those in team garages and employees, the only surprise if any, is if any of them are actually surprised. Writing has been on the wall and I'm sure employees will have an opportunity to move within the company as they have done with other closures.
You can read much about the track's issues and money sink in Larry H Miller's own book "Driven" (written in 2009 fwiw). Larry owns up to overbuilding the track, calling it the "ugly stepchild for the Miller Group", losing $2M a year then (presumably much more now as things get older, events dwindle, etc). He knew early on it wasn't going to work in Utah, the motorsports craze just didn't land here.
As for the strength of the LHM Group. I can assure you they are stronger than ever, bigger than ever and growing. New dealership acquisitions, new theater construction, nearly double the number of employees and their real estate portfolio is growing. They still offer a great value to the community in terms of both economic means and philanthropic means. Doesn't mean I'm not sad to see the track go, I can assure you I've spent more days there then most... but I can't expect anyone to subsidize my hobbies any more than I subsidize theirs.
Let's keep our fingers crossed the county can find a suitable tenant and said tenant can make a go of it.
The money simply wasn't there and it is unrealistic and ridiculous to assume the Miller family should continue too subsidize the track when the end of the tunnel was nowhere in sight. I don't think the prison had anything to do with the decision and the LHM Group has indicated the same. You can listen to their extended explanation here: https://audioboom.com/boos/3164816-why-is-miller-motorsports-park-closing
Let's face it, Sunday sporting events don't bring in box office results in Utah and the track was grossly overbuilt for the Utah market even if Sunday sales were on par with Saturday's which they were not by a long shot. They invested heavy on a chance, continued to plug holes and finally said enough is enough. I don't blame them one bit for stopping the hemorrhaging.
Had the track been in SL County as originally inspired (thwarted by environmental and political concerns) I think things might have ended differently. Had they built a $7M-50M site perhaps it could have stayed on course? In the end you have a $125M facility that didn't cover it's spread so it was an unwise decision to continue. I have no doubt another company (perhaps a race track management firm?) will step in and run all or part of the track, too much resource there to be had at a discount. For those in team garages and employees, the only surprise if any, is if any of them are actually surprised. Writing has been on the wall and I'm sure employees will have an opportunity to move within the company as they have done with other closures.
You can read much about the track's issues and money sink in Larry H Miller's own book "Driven" (written in 2009 fwiw). Larry owns up to overbuilding the track, calling it the "ugly stepchild for the Miller Group", losing $2M a year then (presumably much more now as things get older, events dwindle, etc). He knew early on it wasn't going to work in Utah, the motorsports craze just didn't land here.
As for the strength of the LHM Group. I can assure you they are stronger than ever, bigger than ever and growing. New dealership acquisitions, new theater construction, nearly double the number of employees and their real estate portfolio is growing. They still offer a great value to the community in terms of both economic means and philanthropic means. Doesn't mean I'm not sad to see the track go, I can assure you I've spent more days there then most... but I can't expect anyone to subsidize my hobbies any more than I subsidize theirs.
Let's keep our fingers crossed the county can find a suitable tenant and said tenant can make a go of it.
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- Location
- SPANISH FORK, UTAH
Seeing that this is a County property on a lease, doesn't the county in turn take possession of all improvements on the property? And due to the loss of revenue (very small from the track alone) brought into the areas business will probably be felt by the entire community, wouldn't the county be best off to just let someone walk in and manage the track? I would guess that the right person managing the facilities it could still be profitable. I would guess one of the problems it faces is the fact of the facility being way over sized, and that if they had built a circle track and a drag strip it may have been more successful with the surrounding demographics.
On the bright side, I have always wanted a shifter cart to screw around with and Ill bet there will be a bunch going cheap on ksl coming up for sale soon
- Location
- Sandy, Ut
Correct, and I'll assume they in turn lease it no differently than they do other venues.
That is also my hope.
Unimog
Eric
- Location
- Stansbury Park, UT
I guess that is the big question - kindof similar to the desire to have pro sports teams in SLC. Depends on if there is enough demand for a road race course near SLC. Seems to me that the venue was used enough, but I don't know how much is enough.
RogueJeepr
Here!
- Location
- Utah
High dollar cars never appealed to me and im sure there wasnt enuf demand for that kind of thing here in utah. Thats the difference between RMR and Millers and why RMR is more successful .
I did like the short course off-road racing and the rock park though.
Speaking of which ; I'd like to go spend a day on the rock-park before it gets closed and play around . If anyone would be intrested.
I think its about $30 to enter . Id also like to see his museum. I worked on one of his cars and would like to see it .
I did like the short course off-road racing and the rock park though.
Speaking of which ; I'd like to go spend a day on the rock-park before it gets closed and play around . If anyone would be intrested.
I think its about $30 to enter . Id also like to see his museum. I worked on one of his cars and would like to see it .
- Location
- Sandy, Ut
Museums will be just fine
Johnny Quest
Web Wheeler
- Location
- West Jordan
Let's buy it. We can all chip in, and have our own motorsports wonderland! I've got $20...
So many angles to this dilemma but I liken it to the drive-in theater you used to visit as a teenager. Everyone is sad when they tear it down and build apartments, but ask them the last time they went and they can't recall... but they keep meaning to go
My thoughts exactly. There was an article on Jalopnik about it, this was the first sentence:
- Location
- Riverton, UT
I remember about 4 years ago while talking to Kurt and the MMSP manager at a Teraflex outing that they did not know how much longer they could continue to keep the doors open. I was surprised but Kurt wasn't. Basically they needed to charge more for everyone that came in the gate and it would not be supported by the public. Lets hope someone can keep it open someway.
Houndoc
Registered User
- Location
- Grantsville
Certainly don't see the track being ripped out. No reason to destroy a $100M facility (unless its the Draper prison, then some people think that makes sense.)
The land is not needed for the prison or anything else.
I would honestly be surprised if it stays shuttered for long. Can't imagine a company involved on the international race scene wouldn't want to try and make a go of it considering all the infrastructure is already in. Hopefully someone with race expertise (which the Millers lacked) can make it work.
Johnny Quest
Web Wheeler
- Location
- West Jordan
So I'm sure we've all heard the news by now. Which Chinese Auto manufacturer is it? And what are they going to do with the existing facilities?
