I need to convert my story to PDF form so you can see what Jason told me about his plans. I write for a local community newspaper that covers Covington and Maple Valley. I have claimed Pacific Raceways as my own since Covington is the closest city to the track, although it does have a Kent address.
Groundbreaking, according to what Jason Fiorito told me, is tenatively planned for March 2007. Construction on the racing surfaces (drag strip, road course, etc.) is slated to begin January 2008 with completion scheduled for January 2009.
I respect Mark Klaas tremendously (from the King County Journal). We work in the same building, but for different papers. I have known Jason was formulating plans to make drastic changes since October and wrote it about it then. Not to mention the fact I've spent the past three months trying to get time with Jason Fiorito. He's a busy guy. And a very nice guy. And a guy I suspect I will be talking to again in the near future.
I also spoke with King County Council member Larry Phillips. I got myself into Fiorito's tower suite on Friday afternoon due to being invited to a community leaders meeting where the whole plan was outlined. I missed it because I couldn't find the building where it was held -- I suck with maps. Anyway, I wanted to watch the nitro runs. I am a drag racing fan, thanks.
Anyway, Larry told me that the hope was for the proposal to be worked out at the executive level so that a package could be brought forward to the council that it could comfortably approve. Now, I was not taking notes when he said this, so that is not a direct quote, and so should be taken only as a recolletion of an off-the-record conversation. Disclaimer over.
From what Jason has told me, King County Executive Ron Sims has been favorable to the proposal. There is still not a timeline that I can ascertain as far as the permitting and the master plan proposal going before the County Council. Hopefully either Charlie Kester or Jason Fiorito will contact me when they do have a date where the matter will be discussed by the County Council.
I spent two hours talking with Jason Fiorito and Charlie Kester about the proposed master plan. My laptop battery actually died, I spent so much time there talking with them about it.
Jason is very passionate about making these changes. It seems to me that if anyone can make them happen, he can.
If anyone has any other questions about it, please don't hesitate to ask. I'm the only reporter in the area that is familiar with the plan and is a member of the Mater that I am aware of. Any questions I can't answer I can get answered.