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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Fire destroys west Medford mobile home ... Jackson County deputy stops suicidal man who was stabbing himself ... Man threatened to detonate bomb during arrest ... Fire destroys west Medford mobile home ... Jackson County deputy stops suicidal man who was stabbing himself ... Man threatened to detonate bomb during arrest ... WHITE CITY Southern Oregon Speedway race track lease veers off course County looks for a new operator Comment By Damian Mann Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 3, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 3, 2015 at 12:01 AM --> What do you think?Have an opinion on this story? Send a letter to the editor at www.mailtribune.com/sendletter. » Read more X What do you think? Have an opinion on this story? Send a letter to the editor at www.mailtribune.com/sendletter . » Social News Jackson County and Medford auto dealer John Skinner may be on a collision course over a 20-year lease that is set to expire March 21 for the oval race track at Southern Oregon Speedway in White City. Under terms of the contract, Skinner wouldn’t receive any money for the $1.7 million he said he’s invested at the track since the contract began in 1995. Because the contract is about to expire, the county has sent out a request for proposals for someone to manage and operate the oval track for the upcoming season. “We have a contract that binds John and binds us, and both of us have to follow it,” said John Vial, county roads and parks director. “It puts us both in a tough spot.” Vial said the terms of the contract also prevent the county from just asking Skinner to operate the lease for another year. He said the county is asking for just a one-year lease this time because of the short amount of time it has to request proposals before the contract expires. Proposals for the track can be submitted until 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, to Steve Lambert, Parks Program Manager, Jackson County Roads and Parks, 7520 Table Rock Road, Central Point, OR 97502. The fax number is 541-774-6320, and the email is [email protected]. The contract specifically states the value of the track should be based on net revenues generated over the preceeding five years. An independent appraiser reviewed the value of the property. “It has been shown that John has not been making money off the facility,” Vial said. Skinner said he will meet with county officials later this week to come to a resolution over his substantial investment in the track. “They came up with a value of zero,” he said. “We are having a dispute over the contract.”  The contract states that an appraisal can’t be based on comparable race tracks or on building a new facility and subtracting depreciation to determine the value of the oval track. If the track had made money over the past five years, Skinner would have received 20 percent of that amount from the new operator's revenues during the first year of the new contract, according to language in the contract. Vial said the county had only a six-month window to get an appraisal and advertise for proposals, a time frame spelled out in the contract. Skinner said he would be interested in continuing to operate the track. Over the years, he has paid the county $20,000 annually plus a percentage of the gross income, which can range from 10 to 20 percent depending on revenues. In addition, Skinner said he’s paid about $10,000 a year in property taxes. “The county’s done very well,” Skinner said. However, he acknowledged he hasn’t done very well financially on the oval track, blaming it on a sublease with other operators who managed the track for him. Skinner said he’s had some financial setbacks in recent years with his auto dealership as well as health problems. He said he never thought his investment would be worthless when he entered into the contract. “I thought I had it for the rest of my life, or that I would get a bunch of money,” he said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/reporterdm .   By Damian Mann Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 3, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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