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SCRAMP: Monterey County Considering Direct Management Of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

Discussion in 'General' started by Blu Flag, Nov 15, 2019.

  1. Blu Flag

    Blu Flag Well-Known Member

  2. rabbit73

    rabbit73 Scheiße

    It will either: a) let them steal the money directly, b) put local NIMBYs in charge so they can close the place, or c) a->b.
     
    stk0308, jd41 and ducnut like this.
  3. ducnut

    ducnut Well-Known Member

    Let ‘em fuck it up, just like everything else in California.
     
  4. ducnut

    ducnut Well-Known Member

    I can definitely see them selling it off to a developer and whoever’s currently running the show will surely benefit.
     
  5. jd41

    jd41 Well-Known Member

    Our local newspaper reports that new management firm is A&D Narigi Consulting

    SCRAMP ousted as Laguna Seca managers

    "The uneasy relationship between the county and SCRAMP dates back three years when the county acquired the business assets of SCRAMP after poor financial showings.

    Woods said the county needed people who understand contracts, know how to manage cash flow, foster relationships and understand how to manage financing and personnel.

    “We had to buy out the business interests of SCRAMP otherwise there would not have been any events,” he said. “We need an organization that understands core business operations.”

    Woods went on to say he has read four different audits and reports, including a civil grand jury report, that elaborate on recurring problems with SCRAMP’s business practices.

    One report from Harvey M. Rose Associates found “unorthodox financial practices” being conducted by SCRAMP. Another from Hayashi + Wayland in late 2018, hired by SCRAMP, found that “cash management was unstructured” but that “SCRAMP leadership acted swiftly and decisively to correct as many of the issues identified as possible.”

    McGrane counters that SCRAMP suffered “a perfect storm” of events that included losing the MotoGP.

    MotoGP is the premier motorcycle racing world championship — an 18-race series visiting 13 countries, four continents and with global television coverage. It matches the world’s most skilled riders with cutting-edge motorcycle technology fielded by Ducati, Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki.
    More than 100,000 racing fans made the pilgrimage to Laguna Seca to watch the MotoGP. But then Dorna Sports, the commercial rights holder for MotoGP decided that if one race was good, then a second would be better and eventually a third, diluting the fan base available for Laguna Seca, McGrane said.

    “It became a loss leader for us,” he said.

    Finally in the 2014 season, Dorna Sports asked SCRAMP for an additional $800,000 for the next year’s event. Because the prior four years of the event had not been profitable, both parties agreed to not return to Laguna Seca.

    The county and SCRAMP could not even agree when the new proposal should be submitted. The current contract is due to expire on Dec. 31. Woods said in October that not only had SCRAMP still not submitted a management proposal but he had not discussed the matter with SCRAMP officials. He said SCRAMP officials had previously promised a management proposal several months ago before more recently saying a proposal would be submitted after the end of the racing season.

    “We were starting to make real progress on getting the facility and the raceway operations turned around and poised for the future, but it appears at this time we may not have the opportunity to see these plans through,” McGrane said."
     
  6. ducnut

    ducnut Well-Known Member

    Interesting. Always two sides.
     
  7. redtailracing

    redtailracing gone tuna fishin'

    So my question is, who is A&D Nargi? And how qualified are they to run a track?
     
  8. jd41

    jd41 Well-Known Member

    A property management company lol

    https://autoweek.com/article/car-ne...d-new-management-poised-take-over-laguna-seca

    So who is A&D Narigi Consulting LLC? Meet John V. Narigi, who will likely be voted “the principal and sole responsible party acting as the General Manager for daily oversight and management of the real estate and all operations,” to use the description in Narigi’s proposal to the board. Narigi was vice president and general manager of the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa for the last 25 years and worked at other hotels before that. In half a sentence in its own “Proposal for Management Contract” submitted last month, A&D Narigi Consulting LLC said Narigi “is passionate about racing …” No elaboration was offered.

    Narigi’s proposal goes on to say that, should he be chosen, “… all current management and associates would be rehired with existing benefits …”
    As for the racing, Narigi’s “Future Objectives” listed in his proposal include “… maintaining the number of race events annually as actualized in 2019.” The 2019 calendar included Indy cars, IMSA sports cars, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, World Superbike, Trans Am and the Intercontinental GT Challenge.
     
  9. jd41

    jd41 Well-Known Member

  10. rabbit73

    rabbit73 Scheiße

    That would SUCK. But 2019 wasn't on the schedule until the last minute so I hope they work out the kinks. We've had an incredible time there every year and we plan a whole vacation around it.
     
  11. jd41

    jd41 Well-Known Member

  12. ClemsonsR6

    ClemsonsR6 Well-Known Member

    Narigi was a major hotel developer in Cali.

    Gee, can't see any conflict of interest there.......hotel developer in that area needing land. Gee, let me run this race track into the ground, then sell it to a developer buddy who can hire me to put a mega hotel here.
     
    Senna, ducnut, 5axis and 2 others like this.
  13. TurboBlew

    TurboBlew Registers Abusers

    Lets not forget... get rid of those "durty" park camper types that only want to pay $30/night for primo events and only $8/night off peak
     
    ducnut likes this.
  14. Inst Tech

    Inst Tech ain't no half steppin

    So your saying I can't bring a plastic straw to the track anymore?
     
  15. Boman Forklift

    Boman Forklift Well-Known Member

    I remember reading when the U.S. Army gave that property to the county, it had to continue to be a racetrack. I wonder if that was only for X number of years?
     
  16. stangmx13

    stangmx13 Well-Known Member

    all the events enable some ridiculous price gouging for hotel rooms. so he might actually want to keep the events going.

    IMO, the Laguna property is too far from the beach for a hotel and its def not flat enough for a golf resort, haha.
     
    jd41 likes this.
  17. SGVRider

    SGVRider Well-Known Member

    It’s toast. Laguna has 5 years left max.
     
    jd41 likes this.
  18. Mongo

    Mongo Administrator

    It is or at least can be a very profitable venue. Losing SCRAMP doesn't seem like a bad thing considering the issues they had. As for running it - I've seen all sorts of track managers from all sorts of backgrounds, you don't need to have been in racing to do it right. It's an entertainment venue like any other and can be run as such.
     
    Bruce and jd41 like this.
  19. ducnut

    ducnut Well-Known Member

    Does this mean there will be a chance MotoGP comes back to IMS, with Penske brokering that deal?
     
  20. code3ryder

    code3ryder Well-Known Member

    ha...more like 150/night for events.
     
    jd41 likes this.

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