Finally! Something to do in Birmingham! - U-DrifTalk

Drifter · Owner

Finally! Something to do in Birmingham!

mn1028 · Newbie

I just recently read the article about U-Drift in the Birmingham Business Journal. It sounds like a really cool idea. I hope it does well. Hopefully the City will provide support for the endeavor. Good Luck.

-Michael

-- Edited by mn1028 at 22:35, 2007-06-11

Suede · Newbie

I do not think your business venture is gaining much support. I would chalk this up as a wash.

benflynn · Member

life is good, can't wait

-- Edited by benflynn at 04:37, 2007-06-26

Drifter · Owner

We had a great meeting with the Crestwood South Neighborhood Association yesterday. The crowd had some very good questions. I also met with some of the Crestline North neighbors later that evening.

They were concerned about our hours of operation. We had an unfortunate quote on our web page and in the Birmingham Business Journal about 24/7 operations. There will be a midnight sneak preview, but our normal business hours will be the Century Plaza mall hours of 9 AM to 9 PM.

They were also concerned about noise. I'll shoot some videos of 90db operations so that nearby communities can compare our operations to a car horn, truck horn, train whistle, etc. We're not as loud as trains (even though we are bounded by two train tracks and I-20), after all!

I'll be meeting with the Crestline Neighborhood Association Thursday (7/28) night at 6:30 PM (McElwain Baptist Church at 4445 Montevallo). Please come share your thoughts!

rei · Newbie

I didnt think there was really much of a drifting scene here in Birmingham. As neat as this idea sounds, I doubt it will work out in the long run. Too many people will complain about the sound. (Even though there are dozens of VERY loud Harley bikes and domestic muscle car/trucks on the streets) I dont care too much for drifting myself, but its still fun to watch. If this works out, I might check it out as a spectator.

benflynn · Member

well, we hit the meeting. No support there at all, and we left after being grilled by FOX news, this would be real fun, but people have to turn out, or we all have to keep driving to ATL

Drifter · Owner

rei wrote:
... Too many people will complain about the sound. (Even though there are dozens of VERY loud Harley bikes and domestic muscle car/trucks on the streets) ....

That's a good point. It's true that people who don't know anything about drifting complain about the (imagined) sound. That's to be expected. There is an element among the older generations that will always imagine the worst and voice opposition to their worst fears.

U-Drift did a sound analysis, however, that shows that our cars make less noise than a single lawnmower.

http://www.u-drift.com/Sounds.html

...but you try explaining that to someone who fears any new business (has a neighborhood association ever been supportive of a new concept?).

benflynn · Member

the people at Barbers have had it out w/birmingham on more than one occasion, might be intersted in giving some guidance. Real cool guys up there.

buellblastin · Veteran Member

I would love to see this happen. I've been wanting a place to play with my cars for a long time but in Sylacauga there is nothing. but if it doesn't work by the mall there are a few nice areas around here that would make good locations. Besides i haven't been to anything like it because i can't afford to drive to atlanta regularly.

PHaire · Newbie

when does it open?
do you need instructors?

-- Edited by PHaire at 06:12, 2007-06-29

Drifter · Owner

PHaire wrote:
when does it open?
do you need instructors?

-- Edited by PHaire at 06:12, 2007-06-29

It opens after Birmingham issues us our business license.

Instructors are available, but not required.

buellblastin · Veteran Member

I know that when you guys do open i'm gonna be a regular.

PHaire · Newbie

i meant are you looking for drifting instructor. i've also heard the good news that you've been working with people from Drift association and drift411. i'm friends with chris and chad from drift411.
i can't wait for opening day!

Drifter · Owner

We gave a brief drifting/U-drift/zoning presentation to the Birmingham City Council and Mayor this morning. The next step is our hearing with the Zoning Board of Adjustment on July 12th (Thursday at 2 PM in City Council chambers on the 3rd floor of City hall).

The Council said that they would meet with U-Drift if needed after that ZBA hearing.

buellblastin · Veteran Member

At least there is some ground being made.

Drifter · Owner

buellblastin wrote:
At least there is some ground being made.

Yup. We've got two shots for getting our business license this month (ZBA meeting on the 12th and then if denied there, at the next City Council meeting the following Tuesday or a week later).

Also, for those of you who want to meet some of the U-Drifters, at least two of us will be checking out the underground Birmingham street racing scene Friday or Saturday night downtown. IF you're in that scene then you already know the locations and most of the people who will be there.

I'll be in the red Ferrari 348 Spider. If the weather is nice then the top will be down. Easy to find me. I'll have business cards and U-Drift key chains to give away to you (not that we're encouraging street racing, by the way...really, our focus is providing a legal place to play in your cars off of the streets, in fact, but where else are we going to find you to let you know that you're about to have that option in the first place?!).

WX3 · Member

What all did Fox6 have to say? I think you have a good idea but I doubt it will ever work. You are in a lousy part of town where everything has closed. Drifting isn't exactly popular. The whole fun for the kids thing kind of throws me off. Are you trying to open a circuit or a daycare? I guess people do need a place to keep the kids. Are the meetings open to the public? When is the next one? Where exactly is city hall anyway?

Drifter · Owner

Fox showed one person who was against U-Drift and one person who was for us.
CBS showed one person for us. Both showed driving clips (one of drifting, one of Fast and Furious).

Click on our Details link on the Left. Check out the surrounding area view and the color site plan. Notice that we are located on top of a hill with 1/2 mile separation from the nearest home. U-Drift is isolated, yet on I-20. There are sheer cliffs leading up to us, limiting entry to our one access road.

That means that our security rules.

Outside of U-Drift is Century Plaza's security (typically 3 patrol cars in the parking lot outside the mall, plus a large staff of security inside.

That's two layers of security (ours and the mall's) before you even get to the U-Drift park. This is overkill, by the way. We're in the Crestwood neighborhood which is gentrified already. No offense to anyone but the whole area is retired people and gays who've come in to fix up the historic homes there.

It's urban, yet it's isolated. It's remote, yet it's convenient because we've got our own exit from I-20 (40 miles from the Talladega Superspeedway(Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure), seconds away from the Barber Motorsports park (Porsche Driving Experience), yet inside the city limits of Birmingham itself.

We'll likely have rock climbing on the sheer cliff walls, drifting, drift practice, free style, burn out competitions, autocross, pocketbikes, go-carts, drift driving school, security driving school, skid-pad rental for car clubs, and dyno days.

We'll have DJ's pumping out hot music, vendors selling carnival-style food (think: funnel cakes, corn dogs, etc.), Remote-controlled cars and helicopters running in the no-mans land between the pedestrian fencing and concrete k-rail barriers, etc.

We'll also probably bring in NASCAR drivers and pro-drift teams for exhibitions.

Frankly, the day that I can't sell out a NASCAR exhibition in Alabama is the day that I check into therapy.

I'm stunned that at least two posters have opined that U-Drift won't make it...I've already got a number of successful companies and this is by far the surest bet from the ground up.

Karting alone can fill U-Drift's auto park. 100 go-carts pack the nearby Talladega go-cart course every Friday night, and they can't give away the cash that I've got (plus, I'm closer to Birmingham).

There are 100 underground drifters in Birmingham. They'll get to meet me firsthand this weekend. If they don't want to play at U-Drift, then others will...or else the security training and car shows and U-Drift girls will simply get more time.

You think that the bikers won't show up for my cash give-aways by beautiful U-Drift girls for the winners of my Show-N-Shine competitions?!

This town has never seen the kind of action that I'm about to bring in.

Give me a slow night and I'll hire former Alabama and Auburn football stars to come host and announce a night of drifting. What?! That's not going to draw a crowd here?!

Who says such things?!

We'll be doing live podcasts and we'll have live broadcasts from on-site by local radio personalities.

Couples will bring their kids during the day, and the girls will go shopping in the mall when they need a change of pace from watching the boys play on the skidpad in their own cars.

I tell you what, if I lose money on this venture then I will deserve it because I just don't see how the crowds can be kept away by anything except the City denying us a business license.

WX3 · Member

Drifter wrote:
I don't know how to work this quote system yet so I'll just put my stuff in bold.
Fox showed one person who was against U-Drift and one person who was for us.
CBS showed one person for us. Both showed driving clips (one of drifting, one of Fast and Furious).
The media isn't going to help out all. They are going to portray you as the bad guy who is promoting something that leads to illegal activities. It would probably be better if they weren't around.
Click on our Details link on the Left. Check out the surrounding area view and the color site plan. Notice that we are located on top of a hill with 1/2 mile separation from the nearest home. U-Drift is isolated, yet on I-20. There are sheer cliffs leading up to us, limiting entry to our one access road.

That means that our security rules.

Outside of U-Drift is Century Plaza's security (typically 3 patrol cars in the parking lot outside the mall, plus a large staff of security inside.

That's two layers of security (ours and the mall's) before you even get to the U-Drift park. This is overkill, by the way. We're in the Crestwood neighborhood which is gentrified already. No offense to anyone but the whole area is retired people and gays who've come in to fix up the historic homes there.
All the security mentioned hasn't kept dozens of businesses in that area from closing up or relocating.

It's urban, yet it's isolated. It's remote, yet it's convenient because we've got our own exit from I-20 (40 miles from the Talladega Superspeedway(Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure), seconds away from the Barber Motorsports park (Porsche Driving Experience), yet inside the city limits of Birmingham itself.
It is a nice location, and it's not like they are going to do anything else with that parking lot.
We'll likely have rock climbing on the sheer cliff walls, drifting, drift practice, free style, burn out competitions, autocross, pocketbikes, go-carts, drift driving school, security driving school, skid-pad rental for car clubs, and dyno days.
Who goes to a drift event to climb rock walls? There is already a autocross close by.
We'll have DJ's pumping out hot music, vendors selling carnival-style food (think: funnel cakes, corn dogs, etc.), Remote-controlled cars and helicopters running in the no-mans land between the pedestrian fencing and concrete k-rail barriers, etc.
The food and remote vehicles I can handle but as for the DJ, I didn't go to a club, why would I want pumping music while i'm trying to work on my lines? Are we throwing a party or drifting?
We'll also probably bring in NASCAR drivers and pro-drift teams for exhibitions.

Frankly, the day that I can't sell out a NASCAR exhibition in Alabama is the day that I check into therapy.
I hate Nascar but luckily not everybody shares my views so I'm sure this would draw a big crowd.
I'm stunned that at least two posters have opined that U-Drift won't make it...I've already got a number of successful companies and this is by far the surest bet from the ground up.
I am not hoping you will fail. I think you have too many things against you for this to be successful. Media, location, city council, etc. Is it wrong for me to have an opinion?
Karting alone can fill U-Drift's auto park. 100 go-carts pack the nearby Talladega go-cart course every Friday night, and they can't give away the cash that I've got (plus, I'm closer to Birmingham).
So you are planning on having race events too? I don't know too many go-cart owners interested in drifting.
There are 100 underground drifters in Birmingham. They'll get to meet me firsthand this weekend. If they don't want to play at U-Drift, then others will...or else the security training and car shows and U-Drift girls will simply get more time.
Where were they at your meeting? You are counting on 100 people to keep you in business? The training, shows, and girls are all nice and I guess you would need them in case drifting alone isn't enough.
You think that the bikers won't show up for my cash give-aways by beautiful U-Drift girls for the winners of my Show-N-Shine competitions?!
I'm sure they will. Why are bikes even at a drifting venue? Why does a drifting venue need a bike show?
This town has never seen the kind of action that I'm about to bring in.
I'm sure there are reasons for that.
Give me a slow night and I'll hire former Alabama and Auburn football stars to come host and announce a night of drifting. What?! That's not going to draw a crowd here?!
AU/AL will draw a huge crowd.
Who says such things?!
I do. I'm sure a few others would too if they knew about this forum.
We'll be doing live podcasts and we'll have live broadcasts from on-site by local radio personalities.
That would be cool. Everybody is into technology these days.

I tell you what, if I lose money on this venture then I will deserve it because I just don't see how the crowds can be kept away by anything except the City denying us a business license.

How long have you been in the Birmingham area? Have you not noticed how lousy the legit car scene is? Are you seriously counting on all those wanna bes at the street races to support your business? You will definitely need to hype it up and have all those extras because being cool is pretty much all most of them care about. The enthusiasts won't be there every week. You'll need people from somewhere.

Again, I am not pulling against you. I would even show up to the meetings if you would have told me when and where and if they are open to the public. I just don't see it happening and I don't see the people around here supporting you for any long term amount.

-- Edited by WX3 at 08:26, 2007-07-05

TogueMax · Newbie

WX3 wrote:
---------------------------------
The media isn't going to help out all. They are going to portray you as the bad guy who is promoting something that leads to illegal activities. It would probably be better if they weren't around.

I don't see this at all. I think the media has gotten the concept of u-drift out into the mass consciousness considerably well and on a level that wouldn't neccesarily be possible otherwise. They've given both sides a fair shake at the same time. The random 20 year old who I've ran into on the street who knows about u-drift either through seeing these reports or from word of mouth from someone who has has been 100% keen on the idea.

All the security mentioned hasn't kept dozens of businesses in that area from closing up or relocating.

I wouldn't neccesarily fault security in those cases. There are other things going on.

Who goes to a drift event to climb rock walls?

From my understanding U-Drift is not a singular thing and I would! Those walls look extremely challenging!

There is already a autocross close by.

Which occurs once a month and has an off season during the colder months.

but as for the DJ, I didn't go to a club, why would I want pumping music while i'm trying to work on my lines? Are we throwing a party or drifting?

Music is an integral part of racing events like Nopi and even plays at the local dragstrips during the evening, people bump it down at the street racing meetups too it works really well. It adds to the sensory atmosphere of a venue. Young people like it alot.
So you are planning on having race events too? I don't know too many go-cart owners interested in drifting.

The good thing about a course once you lay it out is you can use it for whatever you want, the carts can come do their thing (usually grip based but a bit of oversteer is sometimes helpful in a race) and not neccesarily drift at all.

I'm sure they will. Why are bikes even at a drifting venue? Why does a drifting venue need a bike show?

Again, I don't think people seem to understand that U-Drift is not just about 1 thing. It looks to be a venue to bring together a number of motorsports oriented cultures and beyond. There's no place in town doing something like this currently. And bikes can drift just fine, have you ever seen Valentino Rossi coming out of a hairpin? Usually he is sliding the back tire at the same time he's riding a wheelie with the front wheel coming up completely off the ground.

Have you not noticed how lousy the legit car scene is? Are you seriously counting on all those wanna bes at the street races to support your business?

Do you get out much? The local street car scene is stronger than ever in Birmingham / Jefferson County. There are more sports cars (and cars in general) on the road than ever before and the aftermarket parts market is shooting through the roof. People are buying cars now and becoming intimate with their workings, honing their driving skills and becoming interested in performance aspects like never before.

-- Edited by TogueMax at 17:10, 2007-07-05

Drifter · Owner

WX3 wrote:

The media isn't going to help out all. They are going to portray you as the bad guy who is promoting something that leads to illegal activities. It would probably be better if they weren't around.

No, the news media is fine. The Birmingham Business Journal has already written two articles on us (a great example is linked on our home page). The Birmingham News just wrote "The Fans and the Furious" about us (great title, by the way, and a very balanced, fair article on U-Drift and drifting in general).

Multiple TV stations have called me to arrange interviews (it's too early for that, I want the business license in hand so that I can give a rock solid opening date) and even without me Fox TV and CBS TV have aired pro drifting and balanced U-Drift stories.

...and I haven't even begun our advertising blitz yet. You're looking at large amounts of news coverage during the incubation stage of a start up, a very, very good sign for what we'll get once we are finally sending out press releases and holding press conferences and paying for advertising.

WX3 wrote: ...All the security mentioned hasn't kept dozens of businesses in that area from closing up or relocating.

And it wouldn't. Businesses have left that area because it is full of retired people, old businesses, and gays (no offense intended) so it compares less favorably to the new areas of town such as The Summit. So security isn't the answer. You could parade patrol cars en masse through Crestwood and it wouldn't change the retail consumer trends.

Is it really a surprise that Hooters left Crestwood?!

But that's irrelevant to drifting. We're on I-20. We're in Birmingham's city limits. We have our own I-20 exit. We're 40 miles from Talladega (dirt track, go-cart track, and Superspeedway) and seconds away from Barber Motorsports park. We're appealing to an entirely different crowd than the businesses that left Crestwood. We're next door to a Sears Auto Store. They'll love the business that we bring in to this commercial district.

WX3 wrote: ...Who goes to a drift event to climb rock walls? There is already a autocross close by.

U-Drift is full-time, high adrenaline fun!

In contrast, the nearby autocross is once a month at best. People who want action in the meantime can come to us.

And as for rock climbing, keep in mind that people attract people. A packed venue will attract more additional interest/customers than will an empty house.

With U-Drift, there will always be multiple things going on for the audience. Spectators will be a large part of U-Drift...it's not just about the drivers.

WX3 wrote: ...The food and remote vehicles I can handle but as for the DJ, I didn't go to a club, why would I want pumping music while i'm trying to work on my lines? Are we throwing a party or drifting?

I'm always throwing a party! What, you don't want to drift on the street in front of your friends when you go to parties?! Well, you'll be able to drift in front of this party legally at U-Drift.

WX3 wrote:...I am not hoping you will fail. I think you have too many things against you for this to be successful. Media, location, city council, etc. Is it wrong for me to have an opinion?

I appreciate your comments and your interest. I mean no offense when I say this, but I can tell from your comments that you've never built up a successful company, however. You look at "security" as a reason for retail businesses moving...the business world doesn't work that way. You question having multiple things for audiences to do and see (e.g. DJ'd music, rock climbing, motorcycles, go-carts)...Man, having lots to see and do is what people want!

You become successful by giving people what they want. Not what an individual wants, but what a crowd wants (there's a grand difference between the psychology of crowds from the behavior of an individual, by the way).

Crowds want action! An individual might want quiet solitude to mend his brake lines. Vast difference!

-- Edited by Drifter at 18:14, 2007-07-05

-- Edited by Drifter at 19:45, 2007-07-05

WX3 · Member

I don't see this at all. I think the media has gotten the concept of u-drift out into the mass consciousness considerably well and on a level that wouldn't neccesarily be possible otherwise. They've given both sides a fair shake at the same time. The random 20 year old who I've ran into on the street who knows about u-drift either through seeing these reports or from word of mouth from someone who has has been 100% keen on the idea.

That is somewhat surprising but a welcome change to the normal media.

I wouldn't neccesarily fault security in those cases. There are other things going on.

I'm not saying it's all about security. All I'm saying is that place is a ghost town and nobody wants to visit or keep their business there.

Which occurs once a month and has an off season during the colder months.
True, but who wants to be out practicing when it's 20.

Music is an integral part of racing events like Nopi and even plays at the local dragstrips during the evening, people bump it down at the street racing meetups too it works really well. It adds to the sensory atmosphere of a venue. Young people like it alot.

The music they use to play at Steele on Fridays was annoying and too loud.

Again, I don't think people seem to understand that U-Drift is not just about 1 thing. It looks to be a venue to bring together a number of motorsports oriented cultures and beyond. There's no place in town doing something like this currently. And bikes can drift just fine, have you ever seen Valentino Rossi coming out of a hairpin? Usually he is sliding the back tire at the same time he's riding a wheelie with the front wheel coming up completely off the ground.

So the motorcycles slide coming out of one turn and that makes then want to practice drifting?

Do you get out much? The local street car scene is stronger than ever in Birmingham / Jefferson County. There are more sports cars (and cars in general) on the road than ever before and the aftermarket parts market is shooting through the roof. People are buying cars now and becoming intimate with their workings, honing their driving skills and becoming interested in performance aspects like never before.
I said legit car scene not the street races. How many big events does this area have? If they are so interested why weren't they at the meetings?

-- Edited by TogueMax at 17:10, 2007-07-05

WX3 · Member

Drifter wrote:

WX3 wrote:

The media isn't going to help out all. They are going to portray you as the bad guy who is promoting something that leads to illegal activities. It would probably be better if they weren't around.

No, the news media is fine. The Birmingham Business Journal has already written two articles on us (a great example is linked on our home page). The Birmingham News just wrote "The Fans and the Furious" about us (great title, by the way, and a very balanced, fair article on U-Drift and drifting in general).

Multiple TV stations have called me to arrange interviews (it's too early for that, I want the business license in hand so that I can give a rock solid opening date) and even without me Fox TV and CBS TV have aired pro drifting and balanced U-Drift stories.

...and I haven't even begun our advertising blitz yet. You're looking at large amounts of news coverage during the incubation stage of a start up, a very, very good sign for what we'll get once we are finally sending out press releases and holding press conferences and paying for advertising.

WX3 wrote: ...All the security mentioned hasn't kept dozens of businesses in that area from closing up or relocating.

And it wouldn't. Businesses have left that area because it is full of retired people, old businesses, and gays (no offense intended) so it compares less favorably to the new areas of town such as The Summit. So security isn't the answer. You could parade patrol cars en masse through Crestwood and it wouldn't change the retail consumer trends.

Is it really a surprise that Hooters left Crestwood?!

But that's irrelevant to drifting. We're on I-20. We're in Birmingham's city limits. We have our own I-20 exit. We're 40 miles from Talladega (dirt track, go-cart track, and Superspeedway) and seconds away from Barber Motorsports park. We're appealing to an entirely different crowd than the businesses that left Crestwood. We're next door to a Sears Auto Store. They'll love the business that we bring in to this commercial district.

WX3 wrote: ...Who goes to a drift event to climb rock walls? There is already a autocross close by.

U-Drift is full-time, high adrenaline fun!

In contrast, the nearby autocross is once a month at best. People who want action in the meantime can come to us.

And as for rock climbing, keep in mind that people attract people. A packed venue will attract more additional interest/customers than will an empty house.

With U-Drift, there will always be multiple things going on for the audience. Spectators will be a large part of U-Drift...it's not just about the drivers.

WX3 wrote: ...The food and remote vehicles I can handle but as for the DJ, I didn't go to a club, why would I want pumping music while i'm trying to work on my lines? Are we throwing a party or drifting?

I'm always throwing a party! What, you don't want to drift on the street in front of your friends when you go to parties?! Well, you'll be able to drift in front of this party legally at U-Drift.

WX3 wrote:...I am not hoping you will fail. I think you have too many things against you for this to be successful. Media, location, city council, etc. Is it wrong for me to have an opinion?

I appreciate your comments and your interest. I mean no offense when I say this, but I can tell from your comments that you've never built up a successful company, however. You look at "security" as a reason for retail businesses moving...the business world doesn't work that way. You question having multiple things for audiences to do and see (e.g. DJ'd music, rock climbing, motorcycles, go-carts)...Man, having lots to see and do is what people want!

You become successful by giving people what they want. Not what an individual wants, but what a crowd wants (there's a grand difference between the psychology of crowds from the behavior of an individual, by the way).

Crowds want action! An individual might want quiet solitude to mend his brake lines. Vast difference!

-- Edited by Drifter at 18:14, 2007-07-05

-- Edited by Drifter at 19:45, 2007-07-05

See that's the quote style I wanted to do. I'm glad the media is giving you your fair shake. That's a bit surprising.

I'm not blaming security alone for that area being dead and you are right, I've never owned a business. Hooters left, Tweeter left, the entire eastwood shopping center left, Centry Plaza is all but dead. People don't want to visit/shop in that area for one reason or another and businesses don't want to remain there. That's all i'm saying. I see your point about giving people what they want and having all the extras but to me that's saying drifitng won't be enough to get/keep people there so you need more. I just get tired of all the extra being thrown into automotive events. When is the next meeting and is it open to the public?

~Skillet

Drifter · Owner

WX3 wrote:
See that's the quote style I wanted to do. I'm glad the media is giving you your fair shake. That's a bit surprising.

I'm not blaming security alone for that area being dead and you are right, I've never owned a business. Hooters left, Tweeter left, the entire eastwood shopping center left, Centry Plaza is all but dead. People don't want to visit/shop in that area for one reason or another and businesses don't want to remain there. That's all i'm saying. I see your point about giving people what they want and having all the extras but to me that's saying drifitng won't be enough to get/keep people there so you need more. I just get tired of all the extra being thrown into automotive events. When is the next meeting and is it open to the public?

~Skillet

The next hearing is July 12th at City Hall (2 PM, 3rd floor City Council chambers) and I'm unsure if it is open to the general public.

Retail businesses have left Crestwood; your point isn't lost on me, by the way. It's a valid observation.

Automotive sports, however, are considerably different than retail shopping in that automotive enthuisiasts will drive some fair distance for a sports event (e.g. Talladega Superspeedway), and the neighborhood for the sports event itself doesn't have to be as pristine as that for a high end mall (e.g. The Summit). So U-Drift is a very perfect fit for Century Plaza. It's convenient, yet out of the way...a seeming contradiction on the surface.

And if you want to be bigger than the average drifting event, you'd better have a party going on similar to the infield at Talladega. You'll notice that the pro drivers don't seem to mind the party atmosphere at NASCAR, I'd suspect.

So U-Drift will be pumping out tunes, serving up fun food, playing with RC cars and helicopters, renting our own go-carts, sharing skidpad time with local car clubs and security driver-training firms, providing dyno days for the kids to measure their performance mods on-site, rock climbing, holding burn out competitions, holding show-n-shine competitions, hosting Alabama/Auburn/NASCAR celebrities, podcasting on-site live, hosting local radio personalities live on-site, showing off the U-Drift Dream girls...and drifting.

Because this is a full-time operation. Local drifters and visiting out-of-towners aren't going to keep the skid-pad occupied 7 days per week, but the karters and car clubs and car shows and driver-training firms will.

It's rare to find a place that allows legal drifting practice, much less one that is open 52 weeks out of the year, but to do that, you've got to have a place that brings in total business 7 days out of the week, rain or shine (and drifters/autocrossers can only fill part of that time, especially due to their views on weather conditions).

Drifter · Owner

WX3 wrote:
If they are so interested why weren't they at the meetings?

--

We haven't started advertising yet. We just recieved our incorporation papers for U-Drift last month.

Frankly, I'm amazed that the news media even found us (we didn't solicit ourselves to them, they came to us). The fact that *anyone* has heard about U-Drift while we are in our incubation stage just speaks to the power of the business concept at hand.

Put simply, people want to be able to drift for $5.

It's exciting!

Where else can people win $2,500 for a burn-out competition or $1,000 for a show-n-shine contest?!

How far would you have to travel to rent a go-cart? Where else can you take your own go-cart to legally play?

Have you seen motorcycle drifting on YouTube?! Where else can the bikers legally play but at U-Drift?!

Autocrossing just once per month?! That's the city without U-Drift, not with it.

Want to buy your girlfriend or boyfriend a cool gift such as skid-pad time or professional drifting training in pro-built drift cars? Where else can that happen but at U-Drift?!

How far do car clubs have to drive for skid-pad days, and how much do they have to pay once they get there? The Birmingham Ferrari club alone paid $15,000 for a single skid-pad day at the Huntsville Dunlap skid-pad.

Talladega is booked. Barber Motorsports is booked. ...and we're both closer and cheaper.

But, enough words. Come out when we open and I'll show you the fun!

buellblastin · Veteran Member

Yeah I'm not a NASCAR fan anymore but even the drivers from NASCAR are into drifting. I know they have had at least one event with NASCAR and D1 GP guys battling it out. (Something i would liked to have seen by the way.) I believe there is far more potential in Alabama than most ppl realize. One thing is that when a venue comes in they will try it and often start going for the challenge. I'm sure there were ppl that thought Barbers was a bad idea but it is doing very well. I can't wait for you to get it going. It might be a little while before i can go make runs myself but i want to. (especially since you will have drift lessons, never tried but really want to)

benflynn · Member

Well, we are at taladaga gp on aug 13, not fully booked, and barbers have scca events that can be run, so they are avail., but a weekend at barbers is very expensive

will be lots of fun, maybe i can set up a company outing once you guys are running

it would be nice to have a plae to test, some repetable conditions, since lasiter is closed

-- Edited by benflynn at 02:14, 2007-07-06

PHaire · Newbie

i'll be at either the memphis scca drift event or the nopi demo in knoxville this weekend. i'll spread the word there. if you need anybody to come show council members or whoever what drifting really is and the average kind of car that will be there i'll be happy to drive down.

for the record i drive an s13 coupe.

triggz · Newbie

Can't say that I'm into drifting much, but I know a bunch of us would love to come out there and paint up that concrete. Burnouts and doughnuts are things all of us muscle car drivers love to do, but unfortunately there is just no place to do it without risking our licenses or damaging property. There's always been tracks for drag racers and autox for the corner carvers, but never anything for those that just like to boil the tires off or sling their cars around for fun. The carnival style atmosphere with RC cars, shows and funnel cakes sounds great!

Good luck getting this thing off the ground, I'll be waiting!

benflynn · Member

how did it go today?

Drifter · Owner

benflynn wrote:
how did it go today?

No real news today. We just received a legal ruling from our counsel that drifting is allowed in our CB-2 zone per existing statute as written (and per Alabama case law). Of course, that's no guarantee that the zoning board will or won't rule our way on Thursday, but at least the law is firmly on our side.

Likewise, if the zoning board rules against us Thursday, then we've got a great legal case to present in Jefferson county circuit court (which would be a hearing in front of a judge only, no jury, so a strictly legal argument should hold considerable sway there as most judges tend to be quite interested in people following the statutes as written).

We actually found legal precedent from our own mall location! Now, how much bureaucracies care about the law is perhaps an open question, not much that we can do about that unknown.

Anyway, Thursday afternoon is the key moment in this first stage. If we win then/there then we proceed to open up U-Drift. If not, then we go to circuit court and if not there then I'll make an announcement that will likewise please everyone interested in this concept working.

Just a matter of time and money, and I've got plenty of both.

WX3 · Member

What about today? Any news? I couldn't get away to make the meeting.

-- Edited by WX3 at 21:42, 2007-07-12

Drifter · Owner

WX3 wrote:
What about today? Any news? I couldn't get away to make the meeting.

-- Edited by WX3 at 21:42, 2007-07-12

Wow! I thought for sure that you were there.

Anyway, the zoning board ruled against us today, 4 to 1. One voted for us because the law was on our side, four voted against us because obeying "the law as written would place a hardship on the City," (to paraphrase).

No problem.

Next step is Jefferson County Circuit Court. That will be a judge-only hearing, and I can't imagine that a judge will agree that a City has a right to ignore written law just because it would create a paperwork hardship.

...but who knows.

Matter of time and money. Eventually, someone will agree that having my money go into a property for drifting is the best course of action.

U-Drift won't be open in July, though (will have to update the web page).

Some interesting side-notes from the zoning hearing: the City hadn't reviewed their own ruling with their legal counsel (it was even written by a non-lawyer)...the City did have printouts of our web page...the City kept repeating that we were a "racetrack" even though we repeatedly agreed with them that yes, for the sake of this hearing we are a racetrack...we showed 3 City-permitted examples (2 on our site!) that had licenses issued based on our ruling...the City had no argument in rebuttal other than "maybe those licenses were issued in error, we'll have to look into it."

benflynn · Member

this is our city government at it's best, and i have seen a councill man take a no work job in order to help w/such a problem, they probably want their palms greased

i guess it dose no good to sit here and bad mouth the inept, it is not their fault, it is the city for allowing it to happen, tell them it is a church/civil rights museum and all will be ok, driftin gfor Jesus

not like the outlaying areas are any better, hoover kicked the autocross out of the met

i guess untill they get their heads from their rear i will kepp trucking to taladaga and atl, but i am ashamed of the ham

Drifter · Owner

benflynn wrote:

...
i guess untill they get their heads from their rear i will kepp trucking to taladaga and atl, but i am ashamed of the ham

I don't know that I am ashamed of the City...in fact I'm almost sympathetic. Surely there is a natural tendency to overestimate the "benefits" of city planning, after all (at least, if one is involved in the bureaucracies doing the planning). It's bound to be human nature.

...but if you look back to when Birmingham was larger than Houston and ask yourself why Houston has steadily prospered and grown while Birmingham has shrunk (losing 5,000 to 10,000 people per year), then it would only be reasonable to think that Houston's complete ban on zoning itself, rather than Birmingham's ban on various business activities in various locations...might...just "might" make an economic and population growth difference.

The danger that Birmingham faces is that if it continues to strangle new business ventures that it will one day find itself in Detroit's endless cycle of population decline where services cost almost as much (e.g. it costs the same to have a fire department for the same amount of land even though the population has shrunk) but revenues to the City are steadily declining as first businesses and then later their employees leave.

It's the eggshell syndrome. The center of the City grows hollow as the businesses and residents move to the suburbs and exurbs around the old City...leaving a fragile shell.

But...we're not to that point. Circuit Court alone could rule for us and instantly bring new life into Century Plaza, and even hardened city planners probably don't want to see an abandoned mall there instead.

WX3 · Member

I wanted to be there. i wanted to hear what they had to say for or against. It didn't cross my mind until about 2:30. I didn't know how long it would last or even if the public was invited so I didn't try. I guess the judge only will be a closed circuit. Keep us updated.

bjb120386 · Newbie

This is gonna be awesome, I cant wait!!! Hey Drifter i wanted to know if there are any positions avaliable ? If so i would like to apply !!!

Drifter · Owner

bjb120386 wrote:
This is gonna be awesome, I cant wait!!! Hey Drifter i wanted to know if there are any positions avaliable ? If so i would like to apply !!!

Thanks!

It's too early to advertise our job openings, though. We have to first get our business permit approved.

I'd think late August or early September the way things are going right now (I've got to update the web site to that effect, too)...

bjb120386 · Newbie

well if there is anything i can do to help just let me know!!!!

tryiian · Member

I`d also be interested in any help I could be of, or whatever jobs you may have available... Please send me an email with any relevant information when the time comes.

- Sean

-- Edited by tryiian at 12:05, 2007-07-23

WX3 · Member

Any updates?

Drifter · Owner

U-Drift has filed our Birmingham ZBA appeal with Jefferson County Circuit Court.

We'll get a court date announced in the next 3 weeks.

WX3 · Member

When is the court date?

Drifter · Owner

We've been assigned a judge, but not yet assigned a date.

WX3 · Member

Anything?

Drifter · Owner

Our hearing is set to begin in mid to late November (schedule pending), closed to the public.

WX3 · Member

Well at least there is still hope.

benflynn · Member

what's the word? we are all ready to beat up on some 240's

Drifter · Owner

We've filed our stipulated facts and our legal brief with the judge.

The city has filed their brief for why we shouldn't be given a permit. Their argument is that it would "open up Pandora's Box" to follow the zoning laws as written (only golf driving ranges and drive in movie theaters are prohibited in our Commercial District (CB-2) and case law (something must be specifically prohibited in writing or else it must be allowed) from Alabama's Supreme Court.

The judge may or may not require additional oral arguments. The judge may or may not rule anytime soon.

-- Edited by Drifter at 14:19, 2007-12-12