HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — The Guam Racing Federation came before the Chamorro Land Trust Commission, hoping to resolve its eviction in order to continue activities at the Guam International Raceway, which sits on CLTC property.
Federation board member Joey Crisostomo read a letter to commissioners Thursday, asking the CLTC to rescind the eviction and reinstate negotiations per Public Law 34-142, the measure that authorizes the commission to lease the property for up to 50 years for commercial purposes, which can include the operation of a raceway.
The commission decided to evict the federation in January, following concerns with the organization’s tenancy, including clearing and grading activities alleged to have been akin to a mining operation, an accusation former federation President Henry Simpson has denied.
The federation chose to stay on the property until ordered by a court to leave. For now, following some discussions over potential liability, the racing facility has been locked down, according to Crisostomo.
Users of the raceway were directed to refrain from utilizing the property until the federation can resolve issues with the Chamorro Land Trust Commission. That means there are no public spaces available for safe drag racing, drifting, autocross or motocross activities, Crisostomo said.
“Also, the assets of the (raceway) and CLTC are at risk and currently being pilfered, as demonstrated by missing copper wire used to light the raceway. Vegetation is beginning to consume the facility as well. Additionally, there was a large water leak that was found when we were securing the facility. … This will only get worse without any activity to monitor the facility (and) deter the theft, and volunteer maintenance activity to control the vegetation,” Crisostomo read from the letter.
Crisostomo said the federation board knows what the CLTC expects from its tenants and also understands the sticking points that led to failed negotiations for a lease as provided by Public Law 34-142, adding that the federation “feels strongly” that issues can be resolved.
Although commissioners instructed their counsel to meet with the lawyer for the racing federation to discuss concerns, Assistant Attorney General Kristan Finney, the CLTC attorney, said the commission is constrained on what it can do by governing laws and regulations.
The problem with that, according to Finney, is that the month-to-month tenancy was terminated and can’t be extended.
Commissioner Earl Garrido said if the slate were to be wiped clean, he’d like to see a master plan, a financial statement and a feasibility statement from the racing federation, which has the ultimate goal of building a grand prix track at the raceway.
“If you can give us an enhanced master plan, like I said, maybe we can sit down and start talking terms. But other than that, right now, a lot of water has passed under the bridge and I don’t know if we can reroute the river,” Garrido said.
Last month, commissioners decided to designate the raceway property for commercial use in accordance with Public Law 34-142.
The 2018 law gave the racing federation right of first refusal, and gave the CLTC 180 days upon the federation exercising its right to negotiate and submit a lease to the Guam Legislature for approval. The racing federation exercised its right, but negotiations didn’t manifest a lease submission. Eventually, the racing federation was evicted.
On Thursday, CLTC administrative director Alice Taijeron said a request for proposals on the property is under development and will take some time, possibly a few weeks or months.
Legal issues over the racing federation’s occupancy of the raceway remain under review.
Joey Crisostomo, left front, and Jeff Jones, right front, from the Guam Racing Federation come before the Chamorro Land Trust Commission during the commission’s monthly meeting Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023, at the ITC Building in Tamuning.
