PUBLIC HEARING DRAWS RACEWAY PARK STAKEHOLDERS

By Paradis Jolie Fejerang

On Thursday evening, the streets surrounding the Guam Congress Building were decorated with a show of supporters of Bill No. 287-37 sponsored by Guam Legislature Speaker Therese Terlaje and Senator Chris Barnett with the hopes of repealing Public Law 34-142 and bringing back the use of Lot 7161-R1 for use as the Guam International Raceway Park.

The public hearing on Bill No. 287-37 (LS) drafted by Senators Terlaje and Barnett to subdivide 252 acres for the operation of the raceway to service a booming population of Guam’s community who appreciate the history of the sport show it is necessary and profitable.

The Chamorro Land Trust Commission (GLTC) is willing to work with the community and the senators to address the subdivision so that there is still a race track and additional land can be used for other opportunities.

The public hearing opened to hear the side of those who are hoping to keep from allowing the raceway to be back in use on the lot. From these testimonies, the underlying personal note came from a hope that locals would be granted the opportunity to have say in what to do with the land as so much has been taken for use by the military and nonlocals. 

With testimonies from supporters of the return of the raceway, the hope is to reopen a lot that serves as a gathering place for sports enthusiasts, but also for festivities with considerable crowds where there are not many large enough grounds to host on the island.

The history of the Guam Raceway Park stems back close to 40 years to which its history can be seen in various legislation drafts with one specific to the Gutierrez-Bordallo Administration’s plan, signed into law on February 22, 1998. Referred to as The Way Forward, with the hope of providing more opportunities for positive recreational activities for the youth on Guam. The public servants of the past were encouraged to address the raceway and knew the benefits in being productive with this world sport and to keep a local arena utilized specific for all motor enthusiasts.

According to Sen. Barnett, the CLTC is willing to work the Legislature in a short-term solution that could get the track open to the stakeholders within 60-90 days.

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