IMS Calls Eagledale "Great Neighbors"

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IMS perimeter buffer zone
(posted August 13)

IMS Senior Vice-President Mel Harder called Eagledale "great neighbors" and extended his appreciation to the residents for taking care of the thousands of race fans that come to IMS events each year. He encouraged residents who wanted to extend their hospitality and yards for parking for the September 11-14 Moto GP race to log onto RedBullIndianapolisGP.com. Harder was the guest speaker at the August 7 Eagledale Neighborhood Association meeting.

The Red Bull Moto GP is an early kick off to the 2009 Centennial Celebration when the IMS held its first motorcycle race in1909. The Moto GP Race is an 18 series European Race with an international circuit. IMS will be the second stop in the US after Laguna Seca.

The number of spectators coming is still unknown, but Harder thinks the number is more comparable to the Formula 1 event. A $75 general admission ticket will cover the three-day event that includes stand seating in certain areas.

The IMS has been strategically working to accommodate the motorcycle race fans. According to Harder, they are planning to park 5,000 motorcycles on the track's back stretch to provide easy access to the "action." The main gate for fans will be gate 10 on 30th Street. Because of the reconfiguration of the track for the GP, the traditional entrance at gate 2 on 16th Street will not provide access to general admission areas. Other areas designated for motorcycle parking are the gravel lot outside the northwest vista, the Brickyard Plaza, the old White Castle lot and 25th and Georgetown. 25th and Georgetown will be sectioned for secure parking. He said some RV parking will be available at the Brickyard Plaza area.

The IMS intends to host activities to entertain fans in between the racing events. The fan based events are scheduled in various parts of the Indy.

As for the perimeter buffer zone that takes in Eagledale, Harder said he has not heard anything. He said the focus is currently at south end where 16th Street will be realigned.

He called the Speedway Redevelopment "an exciting time for the town of Speedway" and its ability to "bolster" the IMS celebration, but he concluded that "allot of those plans are still undecided."

He briefly mention that he heard that they were "taking some our property and tearing down some of our buildings" for the revitalization project.

Harder called the the conversion of Georgetown Road into linear park as the next phase. He referred to its status as still in the conceptual phase.

He said there are plans to build a hotel, but did not confirm when that would happen.