Driving north on route 7 toward Bennington, you may spot the old racetrack and wonder,.......what happened? So I had to google it and of course the wiki provided:Pownal was formerly the home of Green Mountain Race Track. Opened in 1963, the track offered both thoroughbred and standardbred horse racing until 1976, when thoroughbred racing ceased, being replaced by greyhound racing. One year later standardbred racing was discontinued, and the track thereafter featured only greyhound racing until closing altogether in 1992 amid increasing pressure from animal rights activists, who object to greyhound racing as cruel (Vermont banned the sport in 1995). Since closing as a racetrack, the site has hosted live events occasionally, including a rock concert in the Lollapalooza series in 1996 and antique car shows from 2005 to 2008. The 144-acre property has been purchased by commercial developers who have plans for it which have not yet been finalized, but are believed to include a mix of energy-efficient companies, a farmers' market facility, and facilities to accommodate large events.
What does the assessor project for this structure? "Won't last at this price?" Is it a fire trap? A code compliant nightmare? Is it structurally safe? How much money do you put into it to keep it going; especially when you fill it up 1% of the year and maybe 20% to 50% a few times in the summer? Is Pownell ready for a booze fest like the Kentucky Derby?
It probably hasn't gone down in price which is a shame; for that's what transformative economics is all about: someone getting it to move again.
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