By Laura Stabbert
MONTICELLO — May 25, 2010 — According to a recent letter written by Ari Strauss, President of the Monticello Motor Club (MMC), “Within the next day, you may read that Formula One (F1) is planning a return to the United States and has their sights on a special location in New York: Monticello Motor Club.”
Formula One’s architect Hermann Tilke has visited the 4.1-mile Monticello track and supports the site as the next Grand Prix location. Monticello has the positive attributes of being located 90 minutes from Manhattan by car and accessible by an international airport located just 10 minutes away.
Strauss wrote the race would “bring thousands of jobs to Sullivan County, and inject over $100 million each year into the local economy”
MMC Chairman Bill McMichael thinks that the F1 Grand Prix would do more than that.
“This is not new, and not untested,” McMichael said. “F1 has a proven formula for success, usually bringing in $127 million of revenue with each race.
“Bernie Ecclestone, President and CEO of Formula One management has given MMC a letter of intent and has stated he would like Monticello to host the race,” McMichael added. “Now we need to make sure our local and regional politicians and everyone else involved is in agreeance.”
A decision should be made within the next 60 to 90 days and if MMC agrees to host the Grand Prix race, $150 million would go into construction of the track, creating construction as well as full-time jobs in the near future.
If MMC becomes the new location of the Grand Prix venue, then the first race is scheduled for 2012 with a possible 10-year contract.