Winston-Salem Journal updates on the proposed sale of Bowman Gray Stadium from the City of Winston-Salem to Winston Salem State University. The city approved a resolution of intent to sell the stadium to WSSU in 2013, with a December 2018 timetable for the deal to be finalized.
Two issues here—one is the opposition of state Treasurer Dale Folwell, a former N.C. House member representing Forsyth County:
Folwell said in an interview Wednesday that he dislikes the plan to sell the stadium in part because it would raise student fees to pay for the deal.
“I don’t see the need for the state to be in the racetrack business and put millions of dollars of debt on the students,” Folwell said, adding that he has fears for the future of racing as well, should WSSU acquire the stadium.
Folwell ostensibly has a say in the matter because the deal would need the approval of the Council of State, although the Journal acknowledges “it’s unclear when the matter will come before the Council of State.” It’s “unclear” whether or not the Council of State would take up the sale because an environmental hurdle must be cleared—a brownfield agreement with the state involving a city-installed system to remediate methane gas from the former landfill on the stadium site.
The other issue is the future of car racing at Bowman Gray:
Harold Day, a longtime opponent of the sale, said that racing and WSSU have shared the stadium like renters in the two parts of a duplex. Selling the stadium changes that to put WSSU in charge as the landlord, Day said, voicing fears about the future of racing.
“It doesn’t have anything to do with a black university owning it,” Day said.
Absolutely true— once WSSU owns the stadium, it’s theirs to do with whatever they want, right?
