Major NASCAR-Style Racetrack Proposed In Fort Erie, Canada

For years, there has been talks about bringing a major racetrack to Fort Erie, Canada. However, a proposal got one step closer to reality Monday night when the town council unanimously passed the plan presented by a group of developers.

The project, which is partially backed by NASCAR star Jeff Gordon and his design team, is called the "Canadian Motor Speedway" and would be the first major racetrack in the country.

The investors are willing to spend several hundred million dollars to build the 65,000-seat track, which will include a 1-mile oval track and a road course. The full plans are available here.

Council members said the economic impact weighed greatly on their votes; however, Deputy Mayor Sandy Annunziata stressed that the developers must comply with all standards and requirements to alleviate community concerns of noise, congestion and environmental issues.

"We want to send a message that we are business friendly," Annunziata said. "We will do whatever we can to make sure the investor is very well positioned to go ahead with this investment, to go ahead with this project. But not at the sake of compromising the quality of life or the integrity of the process."

The plan now goes before the Niagara Regional Council Wednesday. If it passes as expected, the permitting and zoning process will begin. Town officials say there are about a dozen more steps before the project will get the final okay; however, if all goes as planned, construction could start in months.

It's important to note NASCAR has not committed to the site; however, it is the goal of the developers to bring NASCAR, Indy or another high-profile motorsports organization to the Canadian Motor Speedway.