Drag strip proposed to spark area economy

We'll just keep passing through Oscoda on our way to Ubly and Edmore.

You still think Kalitta is going save your economic butts?

lol, I almost forgot about this thread. Let's recap on the Oscoda economy, shall we?

No money - check
No dragstrip - check
No other businesses built that saved that town - check
Younger generation statying after graduating - nope
Idiots still in charge - check
Businesses leaving/being sold - check
Main street remodeling saving downtown - nope
Hockey season - check!

So how have you been Tom? Haven't talked to you in a while.

Hello,this is the frist time that i have used this post. i live down state and have a summer place in east tawas mi. i'm a 62 yr. old retired auto worker. when i was younger i used to go to the tri city drag strip out at the air port.until they were forced to close. i think that a drag strip would be a postive step for Oscoda . bringing in money. it could be tied into your high school auto shop. a local car show , swap meet ect.you have more than enough run way to host a national event. that could bring in the big boys. i would rather have my son out in the garage working on his car,and testing it at the drag strip , than hanging out at the bars. maybe some of the local car clubs would get in volved . the rods & relics. the road rebels ect. you will never know if you don't give it a try!

yes i like the idea but if is to loud what about a nice smokey casino

a lot of the cost of a drag strip in Oscoda is already there the run ways for the strip . all kinds of room for parking ect. maybe one of the old hangers or part of could be used as a tech. area. or grarge to work on the cars . maybe one of the local auto stores could man it stock a few parts. if you watch any of the auto shows on t.v. pinks all out, pass time, car crazy ect. these people that cars are their hobby. they spend money on their cars . it could be at the Oscoda drag strip,and in down town Oscoda! worth a try ???

Well, I see they can hardly get people to fill the first few rows at Michigan Int'l Speedway, and the Casinos are literally having to declare bankruptcy. Now, let's see, where were we? Oh yes, what would be an acceptable, DIGNIFIED way to spur growth in Oscoda? I've come across a few of those "drag-strip" people along the way. They can hardly take a bath regularly, but they'll be out there washing and buffing their car! Yeah sure. How about an outlet mall, or a big flea market arean? How about something respectable?

hate to diagree with you . did you ever look at the stands while watching pinks all out ? or pass time ? a few months back pinks was held in MICHIGAN at U.S.131 Motorsports park.stands were what FULL !!! A Casino , May - Be look at the out let mall just off I-75 just south of Saginaw any more on it's best day you can park any place you want ! alot of the drag strip is all ready there! if the funding is there why not give it a shot???

MISpeedway had over a 100,000 people at both races last year. I would say that was a pretty good turn out for the economic times.

tom from Alpena wrote:

We'll just keep passing through Oscoda on our way to Ubly and Edmore.
You still think Kalitta is going save your economic butts?

Just a quick question - do you consider Ubly & Edmore to be booming economically because of drag racing?? I live near Ubly, they have the same economic crises that most of MI suffers from. They have lost many businesses, the only grocery store is a party store size convience store. There are no jobs, it's only 4 city blocks long, if that. Oh yeah, they have 2 bars & those are more patronized during hunting season. The drag racers are the same as any other tourist, they come they mostly bring motorhomes/campers & leave. And as for Kalitta, he's only interested in padding his own wallet - he's a business man!

A drag strip does not create jobs. Good, decent paying long term jobs is what the area needs. Not another two-bit weekend attraction for people to spend a few dollars in restaurants. Personally, I don't care to hear loud obnoxious cars or see them speeding down a one-way drag strip. I'm familiar enough with the Flint auto show and don't care to see that anymore because of the noise and noxious exhaust fumes. Think bigger than a drag strip, cuz without decent jobs for kids the area is never going to reach its potential.

Lets face it folks. This is a retirement town. People moving here are mostly retirees, and don't need jobs. They only need wal-mart, a gas station, resturaunts, and Dr offices. Get it? All the youngsters that are left here, which isn't many, move to other places after High School, to attend college or get a job. Thats the way it is, and everyone may just as well get use to it. The tourist don't even frequent here as much as they use to, because its the same o' same o'. They look for cheaper places and places with more interesting things to do per age limit. What is there to do here? Take a one minute drive through town, to read the new sign in front of the fire hall, then past BIG BEN? Whoopie. Great vacation. Once you've done it, you've done it. No sense coming all this way to do it again, Hey?

Jobs, Jobs, full time Jobs that pay a decent wage are what we need. Drag strips donot meet that criteria. Neither do golf courses for that matter. Golf courses provide part-time jobs and some of those workers can claim unemployment benefits in the off season. How's that for a win win situation?

Dissatisfied Too wrote:

Lets face it folks. This is a retirement town. People moving here are mostly retirees, and don't need jobs. They only need wal-mart, a gas station, resturaunts, and Dr offices. Get it? All the youngsters that are left here, which isn't many, move to other places after High School, to attend college or get a job. Thats the way it is, and everyone may just as well get use to it. The tourist don't even frequent here as much as they use to, because its the same o' same o'. They look for cheaper places and places with more interesting things to do per age limit. What is there to do here? Take a one minute drive through town, to read the new sign in front of the fire hall, then past BIG BEN? Whoopie. Great vacation. Once you've done it, you've done it. No sense coming all this way to do it again, Hey?

I don't disagree with you, but Oscoda and area is and has been more than just a haven for retirees. Its also a 4-season recreational area with Fishing, camping, hunting, cross country skiing, snowmobiling activities, for tourists and others from keep coming up here. My point about the drag racing idea is that #1 it does not create jobs, which those advocating it, say it will, and #2, if it does attract out-of-towners, they more than likely are already up here for other reasons, and #3 any added revenue to local merchants, i.e. restaurants, gas stations, hotels and cottages would be minimal. In other words, the disadvantages outweigh the benefits.

Also, as one person already expressed here, this is a Kalettta idea, and Kaletta is for Kaletta's self interest. Another thing, Oscoda as a venue for tourists is inferior to either Tawas or East Tawas. It really offers zero or little incentive for tourists to drive the 20 miles further north. No Walmart and little in the way of shopping. Oscoda's leadership at city hall has been screwing residents for years, so before you think a drag strip is going to change things, you better look at who's running things downtown.

Here's a question ... why does that town need both a supervisor and a city manager -- both receiving salaries and benefits at the expense of the tax payers? Maybe justified in the day of WAFB, but now? The air force left in 1993, almost 20 years ago. Get rid of one or the other. Oscoda doesn't need both.

The question ... why does that town need both a supervisor and a city manager -- both receiving salaries and benefits at the expense of the tax payers?

In a Charter Law Township, the elected voting Township Board officers consist of the Supervisor, Clerk, Treasurer, and four Trustees.
http://oscodatwp.com/webedit.php...
The Supervisor is paid abour $14K per year.

The Superintendent(city manager) is an employee of the Township Board of Trustees. The Supeintendent is paid in excess of $80K per year including benefits. This is a great job and salary for a guy who does nothing of any substance without first seeking Board approval.

FYI- The superindendent was hired AFTER the air base closed!! Never made sense as to why.

Live here too wrote:

FYI- The superindendent was hired AFTER the air base closed!! Never made sense as to why.

You can say that again. Oscoda Twp. residents/homeowners should be outraged about this. I've believed for a long time that township officials up there have been on the take. This is a perfect example of perfect nonsense, paying someone that kind of money and benefits in a town as depressed and backwards as Oscoda. Oscoda is not Grosse Pte or Birmingham and never will be!

Just An Observer wrote:

<quoted text>I sense we have a biased moderator here. You're from Indiana, so your opinion is irrelevant. Purely ignorant idea. We may hear a plane once a week, if that. This "proposal" will lower property values, and why would they vote down casinos, only to allow that trash to come in? Why not clean up the area and beautify the waterfont community, and the rest will fall in line? You know what kind of clients you get, the "bombox" crowd, the drinkers, the partiers. Lok at oakland county, do you think they would allow that near their turf? Look at Oakland county, and LEARN from it. Or Traverse City.

you know what i would put a fair bet that i have more money in my car than you have in your house so if you keep sayin trash just think about that.

Oscoda needs a topless bar. That would create jobs for young women as dancers. They would also need to hire bouncers, bartenders and a dj.