Facilities Hutchinson Island (Georgia)

the westin savannah

totaling approximately 2,000 acres (8.1 km), hutchinson island targeted site public-private partnership build convention center , hotel. chatham county voters approved spending $63 million in public special-purpose local-option sales tax money trade center , $10 million road system on island. savannah international trade , convention center , westin savannah harbor resort built. in addition, state of georgia provided $18 million, , former land owner csx railroad donated 25 acres (100,000 m) public trade center.

while of hutchinson island has been trade convention , resort-oriented in past, island s first residential community under way, reserve @ savannah harbor, , plans being drawn develop riverfront mixed-use, urban extension of savannah.

the georgia ports authority , international paper still own undeveloped tracts of land on far west end of hutchinson island.

grand prize of america road course

in 1990s, group of local businessmen formed colonial motorsport company, deciding time bring international racing action savannah. major international races had last been held on streets of savannah american grand prize in 1908, 1910, , 1911; , vanderbilt cup race in 1911. after 4 years of careful negotiations, agreement reached stand-alone race of ppg/firestone indy lights series in 1997, follow events in 98 , 99 offering possibility of future cart round. public monies helped build 1.965-mile county road serve 10-turn circuit; first time public road had been pre-designed intention of using racing in usa. in may 1997 inaugural dixie crystals grand prix held, support races north american touring car championship, barber dodge pro series, , u.s. f2000 national championship. before of race day crowd of on 30,000, future indianapolis 500 winner, hélio castroneves, won race.

mark blundell quoted, after feasibility test future cart races, “as drivers track, s good, s quite demanding , physical. s fun circuit drive, , there @ least 2 , possibly 3 spots overtaking. doesn t have street course feel, s more of road course feel. spectator viewpoint, there plenty of great vantage points.

the event looked modest success; drivers seemed happy course, fans turned out in reasonable numbers, , contract in place future years. however, creditors , several companies involved in construction didn’t want give promoters reasonable time frame make event profitable. resulting lawsuit threw colonial motorsport company chapter 11, , contracts, including 1 cart, dissolved. track came public ownership , fell disrepair.

in 2010s track reworked , reopened historic racing. of 2014 historic sportscar racing (hsr) has been sanctioning savannah speed classic, part of hilton head island motoring festival & concours d elegance, taking place last weekend of october (in savannah) through first weekend in november (in hilton head island) each year.