Monday, February 18, 2013

IMS Hand in Glove - Or ringing the bell for Subsidy? 

I’m guessing its just Mwah, but!  Don’t Y’all find it funny; Ha Ha?  Over the timing of the announcement and introduction of legislation for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to finally go on the dole by asking for a ‘Mega $100m handout; especially since the IMS just finally settled a ridiculously LONG lawsuit over the lack of Accessibility at the hallowed grounds...

And I’m not claiming they’re related, since listening to Mark “IM THE BOSS!”  Miles on Trackside last Tuesday night, where he told Kevin Lee that the handout had been in work prior to his appointment - believing it had been broached some two years ago... Which would have been on the Randy Bernard watch, eh?  NOT claiming it was his idea either...

Yet as a visually impaired (legally blind) ‘Vurd Botcherer I’ve certainly experienced my trials ‘N tribulations of navigating the hallowed grounds of IMS, albeit the Yellow Shirts have been very accommodating to Mwah over the years personally, and seem to improve yearly - with my biggest issue being attending the 2006 USGP and there wasn’t access to an elevator for the then 87-year old wheelchair bound ‘Auntie Harriet.  Not to mention telling us the handicap parking lot was filled up even though I’d purchased said parking spot pass months prior, for which no refund was ever issued! 

As I won’t bother Y’all ‘bout how horrific it was trying to get wheelchair seating access that relatively humid July; 97 degrees-f on race day, forcing an elderly woman to bake in the sun for countless hours on those oh so comfortable shiny silver aluminum grandstand seats... Or how we missed a large portion of the Formula 1 qualifying session the day prior because there weren’t any elevators open for public use! ( All of which I expounded upon in a letter to IMS that never received even a cursory reply...)

Thus, I just wonder at what point the IMS Brain trust saw the writing on the wall in regards to losing their lawsuit over Accessibility and then the plan was hatched to make the people pay for I-T instead of using our own money? 

I enjoyed hearing new Hulman Co CEO Mark Miles speak for the first time on Trackside and he sounded pretty sharp, astute and a take charge kind of guy.  Yet I found it a bit disturbing how Curt Cavin tried asking him twice specifically how Accessibility upgrading would proceed - in regards to ADA compliance presumably, and Chirp Chirp!  Miles totally side stepped Curt with two NON answers. 

And I understand the temptation to spend somebody else’s money and totally understand the argument everybodies doing I-T!  Like as in any new or previous sporting stadium project, and HELL!  Even good ‘Ol ‘RASSCAR is getting$100m cash infusion via the Fiscal Cliff legislation recently signed off upon. 

It’s just that as a resident of a small town whose public transportation has been totally gutted, I cannot help but ponder who’ll suffer at the expense of IMS collecting this money?