Miller Motorsports Park ceasing operations


dbk

The Favor Factory™
Staff member
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jul 30, 2005
15,187
Metro Detroit
What a bummer. Really hoping that someone is in the wings to step in here. I know the park cost a phenomenal amount to operate, but it's a really great motorsport facility.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/...orsports-Park-to-cease-operations.html?pg=all
 

BtwoG

GT Owner
Dec 8, 2013
1,039
Atlanta, GA
Noooooooooo

what a bummer. Really hoping that someone is in the wings to step in here. I know the park cost a phenomenal amount to operate, but it's a really great motorsport facility.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/...orsports-park-to-cease-operations.html?pg=all
 

RALPHIE

GT Owner
Mar 1, 2007
7,278
That's a shame - any idea where Ford will move their High-Performance Racing School?

http://www.fordracingschool.com/
 

dbk

The Favor Factory™
Staff member
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jul 30, 2005
15,187
Metro Detroit
That's a shame - any idea where Ford will move their Performance Racing School?

Maybe nowhere. Still much to be decided with what happens to it, and I'll be shocked if a $125+ million facility in that area is allowed to become a parking lot.
 

RALPHIE

GT Owner
Mar 1, 2007
7,278
I'm sure it provides some good tax revenue to that area of Utah - may the area commissioners will come up with a solution.
 

Cobrar

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jun 24, 2006
4,017
Metro Detroit
That's an awful loss, what a great facility. I'd have to look back at their calendar for the last couple of years, but it sure seemed as though it was getting significant use, beyond that of the Ford Racing School.

Would be interesting to see an operating statement for the facility. Although hamstrung by location (7 month operating window) ~ to normalize operational revenue and expense ~ without the cost from the land lease and any other ancillary (non-core racing) activities.
 

twobjshelbys

GT Owner
Jul 26, 2010
6,053
Las Vegas, NV
Wow, that's a shock. I wonder what will happen to the collection that is housed there.
 

AJB

GT
Mark II Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jun 28, 2006
2,943
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
yes sad.... I am glad to be able to say we had our Ford GT on that track for several days during Rally X . ((I Already forgot what number rally that was.))..
but
---the Hotel and
---the reception we received from the 'locals', the special theatre event with the Bonnevile racer, the support from the track folks
-- even the Tire Store that sent out a truck and a mechanic to change my trailer tires after 'shredding' one of them outside of Cheyenne , Wyo. on the way from Detroit.... He did some work for Terry and even tires for StormKat' trailer if I recall.... He would not even accept a TIP !!!!!

Fond Memories... Hope someone picks up the track... but these ventures are very capital intensive to operate...

ajb (andy)
 

GTJack

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Oct 1, 2006
1,728
Saddlebrooke, MO
It is a shame. There is a part of me that wonders if this is a tactic to reduce the land lease cost if they are losing money. Not sure that would result in getting into the black though. Their remoteness impacts their revenue stream.
 

stuntman

GT Owner
Jan 15, 2015
216
Its a great track. As a Ford GT or Ford fan, you have to get out there and take a school/lapping day before they close up! LHM was obviously a huge ford fan, owner of GTs, and Roger Miller campaigned a Boss 302R in the Continental Tire Series. In his memory, his #158 car won the season finale at Road Atlanta last year.
 

ChipBeck

GT Owner
Staff member
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 13, 2006
5,769
Scottsdale, Arizona
Gentlemen,

The land lease must be pretty expensive to walk away from such expensive facilities.

Chip
 

Cobrar

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jun 24, 2006
4,017
Metro Detroit
Apparently it's a 99 year ground lease that commenced in 2003/4.

"For the past nine years, the Miller group of companies paid the county 5 percent of their revenue for the lease of the land. In 2014, that came out to roughly $267,000. In 2013, it was about $337,000."

Normally, assets/improvements on the property revert to the land owner (Tooele County) if a lease is vacated (in this case by the Miller Group) unless the Agreement contains a specific clause that the land (once the lease is vacated) must be returned to its' original state, prior to the lease execution.
 

RALPHIE

GT Owner
Mar 1, 2007
7,278
...unless the Agreement contains a specific clause that the land (once the lease is vacated) must be returned to its' original state, prior to the lease execution.

That would be a terrible loss, considering the beautiful improvements that Larry Miller built!
 

STORMCAT

GT
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
May 25, 2006
7,549
Ft. Lauderdale
Sad News..... :frown
 

Ed Sims

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Apr 7, 2006
7,850
NorCal
This is in this week's Cycle News online.

Ed
 

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KennethClay

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Oct 15, 2012
860
New York
I understand that the track was losing about $2mm per year, and that the family got tired of underwriting the loss. The track was really a passion investment by Larry, and apparently the broader group doesn't share his passion.

Regarding the car collection, when I was out at Miller last week they told me that it's going out to Colorado (Boulder, I think?), where he has a bunch of other cars.
 

Cobrar

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jun 24, 2006
4,017
Metro Detroit
If true, they will need to expand the facility in Boulder.
 

twobjshelbys

GT Owner
Jul 26, 2010
6,053
Las Vegas, NV
Regarding the car collection, when I was out at Miller last week they told me that it's going out to Colorado (Boulder, I think?), where he has a bunch of other cars.

The Shelby American Collection is between Boulder and Longmont. The two collections traded vehicles often. It was typical that one of the Miller GT40s or the Daytona Coupe would rotate through the SAC and SAC cars would go to Miller's. This helped to keep the two displays fresh - you could go every few months and see something new. I hope the cars are moved there - it would be complementary. But the Boulder site is Shelby-centric. Didn't he have other vehicles? I never made it there. I might have to try to do it this summer before they close.
 

debtdrives

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Apr 20, 2007
438
Oakland, Michigan 48363
Sad! Maybe Penske, Ford or some other giant will buy it?
 

KennethClay

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Oct 15, 2012
860
New York
But the Boulder site is Shelby-centric. Didn't he have other vehicles? I never made it there.

Miller is very Shelby-centric as well. Almost entirely Ford GTs, 427 and 289 Cobras, and several GT350 Mustangs.