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Outlook Magazine

GENTLEMEN START YOUR ENGINES…

Ok, so Liberty Motorsports Park is not quite that far along yet. But as of the press conference held in Cleveland’s new civic center on November 15 the proposal to build a 35 million dollar world class mega racing facility on 819 acres of land adjacent to Hwy 105 near Cleveland within the next 18 months took a giant step forward from possible to probable. The scale and country club ambiance reflected in plans for the facility have more the look of a master planned upscale community built around a country club than a race track.

“What we’re trying to create is a Disneyland atmosphere, not a Friday night drag race,” Marcus McBain insisted during his comments after he and Cleveland Mayor Jill Kirkonis formally signed the memorandum of understanding climaxing the very well attended press conference.

Many readers of Outlook Magazine have heard only tid-bits of information about the proposal. In fact some readers within the six counties in which Outlook is distributed have not heard of it at all. But the idea isn’t new. It’s been discussed in ebbs and flows of interest within Cleveland’s City Hall and around Liberty County’s Courthouse for two years.

The proposal is the dream of entrepreneur Marcus McBain. Over the past two years McBain has been working and negotiating with both private and public entities encouraging investment in his vision of creating a Texas first – a Disneyland-style, family-friendly master planned Motorsports park of such sophistication and class as to rival the best of the best racing venues in the United States and Europe. In addition to racing, this proposed facility will be the regional venue for driving schools, concerts, and wholesome entertainment events.

McBain is no mere dreamer. To the contrary, he comes highly credentialed and respected within the racing world. Over his active racing career he won two national level super bike championships and numerous regional level championships. Though he reportedly has not personally raced professionally since 2005, he has remained intensely involved in professional racing.

A news release dated May of this year a McBain company (Racing Performance Services - RPS) said, “customer and sponsored riders captured five AMA Pro Racing Top Ten finishes, a dozen national championships and over 700 races. . . In 2004 RPS was the number one dealer in the U.S. for Traxxicon Dynamics Products.”

Over the past two years McBain has worked tirelessly, putting together an impressive team of professionals from a wide diversity of fields. The organizational chart for Liberty Motorsports Park reads like a who’s who of persons and firms that are performance superstars in their various fields of endeavor. From real estate, general contractor, finance, promotion, engineering, legal, and development Liberty Motorsports Park has a first tier team to bring the proposal to life. Second in command of the project is Motorsports Vice President, Steve Veedell.

Veedell is Executive Professor & Lecturer at the University of Houston’s Bauer College of Business. He is Publisher of Monthly Mortgage Index for the Houston Chronicle and President/Founder of Integrity Construction. Veedell brings unparalleled expertise to the business plan, and seasoned experience to the actual construction.

When it all gets down to it, a racing facility is nothing if the track itself is not first class. Because of that McBain has brought Doug Polen on board the leadership team as track design consultant.

“Doug has been invaluable to the project as track design consultant,” said Liberty Motorsports Park in its printed media release. “The four time World Champion holds credibility second to none. He has raced in almost every FIA/FIM world championship venue run in the last 20 years.”

In addition to working on the business logistics of the proposal, McBain has also worked to convince at times very skeptical city and county officials that this proposed facility is indeed something do-able.

Speaking of the fact that officials have been, in many cases, a hard sell on the idea, McBain said, “Some folks were tough on us. But they were always fair. They said what they would and would not do.”

At the press conference McBain went on to praise and thank former Liberty County Judge Tookie Kirkham, present County Judge Phil Fitzgerald, Commissioner Melvin Hunt, and Cleveland Mayor Jill Kirkonis for their candor, and insightful direction that ultimately lead to a very positive memorandum of understanding.

Over the past two years Cleveland’s City Council has dialoged with Liberty Motorsports Park representatives numerous times. The back and forth discussions have been cordial – but frank – and eventually productive. After considerable and prudent due diligence, Cleveland’s City Council sought and in September received an independent professional feasibility study pertaining to the proposed Motorsports Park. The results were impressive.

Jerry Walker of Impact Data Source reported in late September to Cleveland’s City Council that the area economic impact over the next five years could well be as follows:

Based upon that feasibility study, along with months of persistent and detailed due diligence, Cleveland’s City Council voted to enter into a development agreement with Liberty Motorsports Park. Citizens should understand that this agreement has several conditions that both the city and Liberty Motorsports must satisfy in order for the project to move forward.

To state it bluntly, the project is not a done-deal yet – but closer. As of the writing of this article Liberty Motorsports Park does yet own the land upon which the proposed facility will be built. As of this moment that land is so much undeveloped dirt with trees and a few squirrels on it. Between now and January Liberty Motorsports Park must acquire the land and show the actual investment wherewithal to do the project.

To paraphrase the movie Jerry McGuire, by signing the memorandum of understanding the city is saying to Liberty Motorsports Park that it’s time to show me the money. Likewise, by signing the document Liberty Motorsports Park is saying to the City of Cleveland, it’s time to ante-up if we’re going to play.

In the agreement the city agrees to pursue and complete by January the required legal process to actually annex the land in question. The city agrees to pursue tax increment financing for the benefit of the project’s investors. The city and Liberty County have agreed to “create any and all” appropriate and legally allowed financial vehicles toward completion of the project.

These so-called vehicles for the most part have to do with the approval for necessary roads/water districts, and various tax incentives. The county and city have agreed to some property tax rebate for the site, but school taxes will still apply.

Provided that the new and even more in-depth feasibility study now under way comes back favorable, and provided Liberty Motorsports Park meets all agreed capital investment benchmarks between now and January, the city will then pursue grants from the Economic Development Corporation. These monies will be used to supply water lines to the site at an estimated cost of 1.2 million dollars.

On Liberty Motorsports Park’s part the organization will now actually buy the land in question. LMP will also now actively pursue the development aspects of the project that include the letting of ten million dollars worth of Industrial Revenue Bonds. Such bonds raise money from investors necessary to actually pay for the massive project. These investors will be paid back over a period of years by the money generated by Liberty Motorsports Park. Should the project fail, industrial investment bonds are insured, and investors are repaid at least a percentage of their investment by that insurance.

Neither the city of Cleveland nor Liberty County will be on the hook, so to speak, for repayment of these particular bonds.

Following the press conference Mayor Jill Kirkonis said, “It was a longer, more drawn out process than we wanted – but we got there. The agreement is a win/win.”

The signing of the agreement is a monumental achievement for our entire region. Present day SE Texas citizens and future citizens who will reap the benefits of this endeavor have many people to thank. Among those owed special thanks are: Marcus McBain for his vision and persistence; Cleveland Mayor, Jill Kirkonis for her business acumen and personal dignity under pressure; City Manager, Philip Cook for his professionalism, and his abilities at bringing people back to the table; and Council Member Harry Williams for his patient willingness to look at various land options and extend time constraints that gave this project the opportunity to come true. Indeed, in this matter Cleveland’s City Council leadership did an excellent job of doing the very thing that they were elected to do – they led.

Between now and January area citizens can expect to see some tree clearing and land preparation – “trucks and bulldozers in and out of the site,” said McBain. He went on to contend that in February the actual construction will begin, starting with dirt work, roadways and the like. By June or July the infrastructure of the site and the 2.8 mile long European style track itself will be nearing completion; with final completion by the end of 2008. The first big race at Liberty Motorsports Park is already planned for April 2009.

The “Christmas House” of Liberty County

By Trish Jones with Frank Jordan

It’s an imposing structure at any time of year – a 10,000 square foot home with two-story windows, a massive fireplace and hearth, and beguiling, beautifully decorated rooms on both floors. Set on several landscaped acres inside Liberty city limits, the house is worth a special “drive-by” anytime – but during the month of December it becomes a Holiday fairyland, inside and out.

The house is the home of Frank and Connie Jordan – and, around Christmas, over 1,000 Santas of all shapes and sizes, close to 200 Nativity sets, several six foot Nutcrackers, and hundreds of other ornaments and decorative pieces in every room, on every surface – even in a bathtub or two.

Jordan is founder and CEO of Nutritional Scientific Corporation (NSC), based in Liberty; an expert on beta glucan other health-related issues; an author; national talk show host; and, with Connie, a world traveler. The Jordans have used many of those trips to pursue their shared passion of collecting Christmas art and memorabilia. That passion, which continues unabated, has resulted in what is perhaps the largest and most valuable collection in the world.

“Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Christ and the spirit of giving and love,” Jordan says. “Connie and I want to bring the joy of family and fun to a celebration of the Christ Child and that is what Christmas House is all about. Giving, not getting is our theme.”

They have realized their dreams by converting their home in Liberty each December into a Christmas wonderland that does indeed bring joy to all who enter and creates a spirit of goodwill and celebration of the season.

From incredible historical documents that bring the history of Christmas to life in our times to the vastness of beauty in porcelain, art, dioramas, nativities, decorations and an unsurpassed collection of Christmas in every nook and corner, the Jordan’s Christmas House must be seen to be believed.

And, seeing it once is not enough, as pieces are added every year.

“In fact,” Jordan says, “we have six new Nativity sets this year that we just can’t seem to find a place for – yet,” he smiles. “We will, though.”

Christmas carols greet you as you enter this lifetime project of Frank and Connie who have traveled the corners of the earth to bring a holiday extravaganza to the Liberty County area. Frank says, “I just can’t get enough of the Christmas spirit and the more Connie and I learn about our Christmas heritage, from the birth of Christ to joining in love in the spirit of Christ with each other, the more we add to that joy with Christmas ‘stuff’ that after many decades of collecting now fills Christmas House.”

“Fill” is an understatement as you are surrounded by artifacts of the holiday season. From the 7’5” (no typing error!) giant Santa to the tiny one inch tall eggshell Nativity, you are among friends and amazing “stuff” representing all aspects of Christmas.

If beauty in porcelain is your niche, the magnificent Nativities crafted by Boehm join the stunning deer of Fitz and Floyd. Like Santas? The first image of Santa from 1888 in the extremely rare original from Thomas Nast is framed and waiting, joined by a huge oil painting above the fire place of jolly old St. Nick.

A giant Santa train crosses the 8 foot mantle to treat the eyes; joined with the most magnificent of Santas from Lynn Haynie, Mark Roberts, Chelsea and others too numerous to count. In fact, you will be overwhelmed by more than 1,000 Santas surrounded by beautifully crafted Nativities; angels throughout the house; snowmen, happy Carolers and – well, you get the picture. Hundreds of stuffed animals make Toy Story come to life too!

You can also view the original issue of Rudolf and other historical Christmas volumes, including the original Twas’ The Night Before Christmas, and a thousand other red, green and gold visions that will bring joy to the most determined Grinch.

Santa in an authentic One-Horse-Open Sleigh welcomes you outside the huge 12’ double doors to Christmas House.

Frank and Connie urge everyone to make their home a Christmas House too, by remembering the true gift of Christmas – the Babe born in a Manger and to share His message of peace on earth, goodwill toward men.