FELLSMERE – The Fellsmere City Council Thursday night revoked the special events permit issued to a motorsports group that tried to hold mud-bogging competitions at MESA Park.
Mayor Susan Adams said it is not the city’s intention to shut down operations at the park or make it difficult for future endeavors.
“Everyone deserves a chance,” she said, adding that the city would continue to encourage activity at the park. “You’ve got to admire someone for trying in this day and age,” Councilwoman Sara Savage said.
The comments came after a MESA Park landowner and a representative from Treasure Coast Motorsports addressed the council, imploring the board to not hinder the possibility of other uses.
“We all got stiffed,” said C.N. Kirrie, one of the landowners at MESA Park.
Outside Fellsmere City Hall, Kirrie would not say how much money he was out on the deal with Treasure Coast Motorsports.
“It is not a sufficient amount to hire a hit man,” he said.
Earlier, he told the council it is his hope that the members would not take Treasure Coast Motorsports’ failure to be a sign of normalcy. He also asked that they not unduly burden future possible users or deter them from setting up some form of entertainment there.
“Not everyone stays home to have a beer and watch Gunsmoke,” Kirrie said, explaining that the general well being of the area depends on having entertainment.
Savage asked Kirrie if he would be agreeable to having other events on his property, to which he said he would, provided the city was agreeable to it as well.
Chris Stanton, of Treasure Coast Motorsports, told the council that he did not want to point fingers in the downfall of the mud bogging at MESA, but the main reasons were the lack of advertising for the events and the lack of sponsorships.
Stanton added that the group paid out far more money than it took in and the events were not cost effective.
“There were a lot of hopes and dreams that went out the window,” Stanton said after the meeting.
City Manager Jason Nunemaker told the city council that it was unfortunate that Treasure Coast Motorsports pulled out of MESA. However, he said the city would not have had a reason to craft a special use permit if not for the endeavor.
“I feel like we came out ahead,” he said.
