Mayor tells those wanting to save Irwindale Speedway it is ‘out of our hands’
Breceda made the comments during a city council meeting Wednesday after supporters voiced opposition to a decision to demolish Irwindale Speedway, which has hosted NASCAR-sanctioned races, for a 700,000-square foot outlet mall, according to a report by The Pasadena Star-News.
Breceda said at the meeting that the city did not have control over how the land would be used since it is privately owned.
“No one hates to see it leave more than we do, but it’s out of our hands," Breceda said, according to the Star-News. “If you can convince the investor to do it, that’s a different story."
The Irwindale City Council unanimously approved a development agreement March 25 with Irwindale Outlet Partners, LLC for the 63-acre site, according to the Star-News. As part of the agreement with the city, the track has been allowed to continue to operate until development begins, which could be as soon as 2016. The Star-News reported that the outlet mall is expected to add more than 5,000 jobs and generate $2.6 million in sales tax revenue annually.