Anti-racing measure may reach voters — but likely not until 2027
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The deadline has passed for legal challenges to a proposal that would let voters decide whether to ban auto racing at the Nashville fairgrounds.
Why it matters: Anti-racing organizers will soon press forward with gathering voter signatures to put their proposal on the ballot.
Yes, but: There doesn't appear to be enough time for organizers to make that happen by the November election.
- That means the earliest the proposal could be in front of voters is 2027.
Zoom out: The proposal would remove auto racing and add workforce or affordable housing to the list of required fairgrounds uses. Organizers previously made a few unsuccessful attempts at writing ballot language.
- Opponents had until Monday to challenge the measure in court after the Charter Revision Commission approved the most recent ballot language.
- No such challenge appears to have been filed.
What's next: Once the charter commission files the certified petition with the Metropolitan Clerk's Office, organizers will have 90 days to collect the approximately 50,000 voter signatures required for the measure to go on the ballot.
Between the lines: The anti-racing group argues that auto racing is a nuisance for the surrounding neighbors and has a negative environmental effect on nearby Browns Creek.
- "Nashvillians overwhelmingly support the idea of restoring the fairgrounds speedway to its original use as community green space as well as cleaning up the adjacent Brown's Creek and utilizing a portion of the site to help address the city's affordable housing crisis," Restore Our Fairgrounds spokesperson Mike Kopp tells Axios.
The other side: Racing supporters say the track is historic and a source of affordable family entertainment.
- They want Mayor Freddie O'Connell to finalize a deal with Speedway Motorsports Inc. to invest in the track and bring NASCAR back to Nashville.