Willow Springs sold?

[tb911]

https://www.roadracingworld.com/news/willow-springs-sold-tenants-told-to-move-out/

[ttweed]

It turns out that Singer is involved in the acquisition of WSIR and the plans are for maintaining and improving the property as a public world class motorsports facility. I was afraid it was going to be turned into a residential development or something. Whew...
https://singervehicledesign.com/press/crossharbor-and-singer-to-reimagine-willow-springs/

[kecho]

Don't think they're not going to profit from this purchase. Singer (and investors) wouldn't have pulled the trigger unless the bigger plan included further development. Luxury housing, increased usage fees (if not privatizing the place) ....private resort/club, etc., etc.

Their very own test track will only help to further their brand and solicit customers.

Sad news for the car world if this becomes true.

[ttweed]

Don't think they're not going to profit from this purchase. Singer (and investors) wouldn't have pulled the trigger unless the bigger plan included further development. Luxury housing, increased usage fees (if not privatizing the place) ....private resort/club, etc., etc.

Chris,
If you read the press release on the Singer site I linked above, you will see that their intentions include:

"America’s oldest permanent road course will be reimagined to include:

A world-class motorsport facility, open to the public, incorporating complete renovation of all racing tracks, pit and paddock facilities.
A luxury private members’ club hosted by Singer.
A technology hub for race teams and manufacturer development and testing.
An enthusiast zone with car storage, fully equipped servicing and restoration facilities, including a museum and retail.
A venue for automotive gatherings celebrating California’s influence on global car culture."

It sounds like a concept that's going to involve a large capital investment and accompanying higher usage fees along with lesser "public" usage, for sure. It's not quite the Thermal Club model, though.

TT

[kecho]

Tom,
I hope you're right and I'm wrong. Everyone has good intentions, but when it comes to money, things can change.

Here's what a fellow "Singer" owner was sent recently (from Singer)....

Greetings from California!
We’re excited to bring you news of our latest project, and this time, it isn’t a car…

Our core mission is to restore incredible cars and create memorable experiences for our clients, who have long expressed an appetite for a Singer experience beyond the car, especially one that creates more a meaningful ownership community and better ways to enjoy the cars. In recent months, the perfect opportunity arose, both in the right location and at the right time.

This year, we are collaborating with CrossHarbor Capital Partners, stewards of the legendary Yellowstone Club and Crazy Mountain Ranch, to acquire the historic Willow Springs International Raceway, close to our LA headquarters in Southern California. The partnership aims to reimagine America’s oldest permanent road course into a global destination for the automotive community, including:

A luxury private members’ club hosted by Singer
A world-class motorsport facility, open to the public, incorporating complete renovation of all racing tracks, pit and paddock facilities
A technology hub for race teams and manufacturer development and testing
An enthusiast zone with car storage, fully equipped servicing and restoration facilities, including a museum and retail
A venue for automotive gatherings celebrating Southern California’s influence on global car culture

Singer at Willow Springs

Singer will partner with CrossHarbor to create our first private member’s club. Membership will be open to Singer’s clients as well as other like-minded enthusiasts and will enable drivers to bring their vehicles for track days and related experiences. Willow Springs promises to redefine what it means to belong to an automotive enthusiast community.

A Motorsports Destination for Everyone

Alongside the private club, the new ownership group sees public access as a key aspect of Willow Springs’ success, and the raceway will continue to host both public and private events. Existing tracks, including all three road courses, will remain open to the public and undergo enhancements to improve safety. A variety of track layouts, including karting, ATV courses and driver instruction, will continue to be available to a broad range of interests.

The backstory

Willow Springs is a place we’ve often visited since Singer was founded. We went there to shake down cars in the early days, we did benchmarking work for our DLS services on the track, and we’ve shot films there over the last fifteen years – most recently with our Classic Turbo services and Chris Harris last year. For those of you who have watched the film Ford v Ferrari, Willow Springs is the location for the race won by Ken Miles (played by Christian Bale) driving a Cobra for Carroll Shelby (played by Matt Damon). It’s part of California’s automotive heritage and part of Singer’s backstory.

Experts and Enthusiasts

CrossHarbor and Singer do not intend to ever sell Willow Springs and have brought together a group of passionate motorsport enthusiasts to join as co-owners in the facility, all with a long-term, multigenerational goal of preservation and improvement. A number of recognized consultants have been enlisted to support and plan future improvements, including:

· Former Formula 1 driver, Le Mans winner and track designer Alex Wurz, head of Wurz Design, who will enhance existing track design and safety.

· Renowned for its leadership in motorsports entertainment and venue management, Speedway Motorsports’ subsidiary Sonoma Raceway, bringing years of expertise in delivering premier on-track experiences, will oversee track operations to help create a world class motorsports facility.

· Hart Howerton, a world-recognized master planner, will create off-track elements to enhance Willow Springs' customer and member experience.

Next steps

The process of bringing Willow Springs up to the required standard will commence with a focus on track and safety improvements, including adding more asphalt and curbs and enhancing run-off areas with leveling and gravel.

[Integral]

How does this affect our track day 4/5 Sept? Is that still on, or...?