Monterey County looking for proposals for managing Laguna Seca Recreational Area
As cars hit the racetrack Friday, the future of management at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca remains uncertain.
Monterey County owns the world renowned raceway and are accepting applications from management teams looking to take over. ” The county has to be open to change and innovation in order to make sure we have business models that are proper and sustainable for the long term, ” said Monterey County’s assistant administrative officer, Dewayne Woods.
The Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula ( SCRAMP ) currently manages the raceway. The non-profit has been a part of Laguna Seca since the day it opened in 1957.
Laguna Seca CEO, Timothy McGrane , said news that SCRAMP’s involvement could be in jeopardy came as a surprise. ” I believe it came out on October 15th and the deadline date is at the end of the month. It did catch us a bit. We thought it was unusual, ” said McGrane .
SCRAMP’s management style has been in question before. A Monterey County grand jury report labeled SCRAMP as financially unfit for the position. ” It is run like a true business. There was a period in time, in past years, that we weren’t necessarily doing things the correct way or the right way, ” said McGrane .
Woods said the county is looking for improvement in whomever they decide will take over the track. ” We want to make sure the business is sound and under the proper control systems, ” said Woods.
But McGrane says things are operating well in 2019.
” The revenues are strong. There is more potential out there. We have to maximize those opportunities. We have to make sure we’re running our events and operations year round, as efficiently and as effectively as possible, ” McGrane tells KION .
SCRAMP still plans to apply for renewal of their management agreement that is due on October 31st . ” We are requesting a longer term agreement, so we can actually make future developments in the events that happen here, whether they’re motor sports, or non motor sports, and just the other opportunities that this facility has, ” said McGrane .
The Monterey County Board of Supervisors will appoint Laguna Seca’s management by the end of 2019.
KION 2019
