Man Eyeing Benton Co. Land for Motorplex, Officials Not Convinced
SAUK RAPIDS -- A St. Augusta man has been trying for a number of years to find a home for a road course business, however, local counties and cities have been reluctant to grant him the permits he needs.
Michael Morgan owns Morgan's Motorplex.
So the idea behind Morgan's Motorplex is to build a driving complex, not a racecourse but more like a country club, for people that would take their vehicles out on the weekends and get some 'seat time' so to speak.
He says the most recent spot he's identified for the complex is 23 acres of land right behind the Harley Davidson store north of Highway 23 in Minden Township. However, he says he's having a difficult time convincing local officials that the project would be a positive amenity to the neighborhood.
Sauk Rapids Community Development Director Todd Schultz says the current ordinance doesn't allow him to build such a facility, and the annexation board feels that the use would be a negative for the people who are already living out there so they are not willing to change the ordinance.
Morgan says he is planning to attend the Joint Powers meeting between Sauk Rapids and Miden Township Tuesday night and talk to the board during the open forum part of the agenda.
Minden Township Supervisor Pam Benoit says Morgan has not officially approached the township board yet, so she doesn't know much about the proposed project, but she says she is open to learning more about it from him.
He's also created an online petition on the website change.org, with over 1,200 signatures.