HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — It appears that the Guam Racing Federation will be able to submit an unsolicited proposal regarding the use of the former Guam International Raceway in Yigo, property owned by the Chamorro Land Trust Commission.
GRF was once operating and constructing the raceway but was evicted by the CLTC last year due to a number of concerns, including issues with clearing and grading activities at the property. Following GRF’s eviction, the CLTC designated the property for commercial use, in accordance with Public Law 34-142, and went to work on developing a request for proposal for that purpose. P.L. 34-142 includes the possible operation of a raceway.
As of last week, the RFP was ready for legal review.
However, John Burch, the acting administrative director of the Chamorro Land Trust Commission, recognized that the procurement would take some time and suggested that the commission look into sponsoring motor sports events, noting that he didn’t see anything in the law barring that kind of action.
Meanwhile, GRF, now under a new board, proposed entering into a two-year license agreement while a longer-term agreement is worked out. But that idea was shot down at last week’s meeting of the CLTC. The discussion indicated that the commission did not have the authority to do as requested, which is why the sponsorship idea was thought up.
During that meeting, GRF board member Jay Jones asked if GRF could submit an unsolicited proposal for the facility. The discussion indicated that the commission could not accept unsolicited proposals until the raceway property was designated for commercial use.
Understanding that the property was designated for commercial use last year, The Guam Daily Post requested clarification from Burch, who said there was a misunderstanding regarding the acceptance of unsolicited proposals.
“I have been informed by the staff that a statement made during the meeting was incorrect. I would like to clarify the issue by stating that the property in question is indeed designated for commercial use, which is why an RFP is currently being developed for the property,” Burch said.
“To rectify the earlier misinformation, I will be sending a notification to the Guam Racing Federation, informing them that they are eligible to submit an unsolicited proposal for the raceway project. This clarification ensures that interested parties are aware of the opportunity and can participate accordingly,” he added.
Burch also apologized for the statement made last week and said the CLTC is working to resolve the raceway matter and provide accurate information to all stakeholders involved.
As of last week’s meeting, his sponsorship proposal was slated to undergo legal review and the commission is set to meet again Jan. 31.
Overgrown grass covers the motocross track of the former Guam International Raceway in Yigo on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023.
