NASCAR Hall of Fame Struggles to Woo Fans, Make Money
It’s only been open since May; yet the NASCAR Hall of Fame museum, located in Charlotte, North Carolina is finding it tough attracting the attendance it needs.
The museum has received glowing reviews both from the press and the fans who’ve attended, but the problem seems to be getting people through the door. Initially the plan was for the Hall of Fame to attract approximately 800,000 visitors in its first year, but in the first four months of operation, only 120,000 stopped in. In August (the last full month of summer vacation) the Hall reported an operating loss of $280,509, which could likely result in the operating budget being cut from $15 million to approximately $3 million; according to spokesperson Kimberley Meesters.
Yet at posting time there are no actual planned budget cuts, nor changes made to the 26 strong workforce. The Hall has been hedging its bets in drawing crowds from local Sprint Cup races, but as the season winds down, it will be interesting to see if NASCAR fans will take the opportunity to indulge in a little history of their favorite sport while the teams re-group for next season. The Hall of Fame certainly hopes that will be the case.
[Source: New York Times]
More by Huw Evans
Comments
Join the conversation