Acting CHamoru Land Trust director serves eviction notice to Guam International Raceway

Guam International Raceway officials were devastated to receive an eviction notice from the CHamoru Land Trust Commission, which gave the Guam Racing Federation 30 days to vacate the Yigo property.

The initial 20-year lease between the raceway and Commission expired in May 2018.

Since then, the raceway had been operating on a month-to-month agreement with the commission for about $4,000 per month, plus a percentage of revenues generated, according to Pacific Daily News files.

Henry Simpson, general manager of the raceway, said the eviction notice arrived Jan. 31 through the raceway’s legal counsel, Cunliffe and Cook. It was dated Jan. 30, 2023, and read:

“On Thursday, January 19, 2023, the CHamoru Land Trust Commission’s board of commissioners made a motion and was approved by a majority to issue a 30-day notice of eviction effective February 1, 2023, to the Guam Racing Federation. This terminates the holdover tenancy created by the expiration of the lease on May 31, 2018.”

The notice was signed by Alice Taijeron, acting administrative director of the commission.

Taijeron was among a handful of leadership appointments announced by the governor’s office on Jan. 26.

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“Everybody was devastated,” said Simpson.

The raceway sits on 250 sprawling acres of rocky Yigo land. Simpson and Guam’s motorsports community had worked on building a home for off-road enthusiasts for years. Simpson said that they’ve spent $7.2 million in tax credits, $3 million to $4 million in cash and untold millions more in time and effort by motorsports enthusiasts.

As of 4:40 p.m. Friday, Taijeron did not return a message left at the commission office.

Simpson said that he will call upon the motorsports community to again come together and share and sign petitions in support of the track, to keep the raceway open.

“It needs to be solved at the legislative level,” he said.

The eviction notice declares Feb. 1 as a start date and gives raceway officials 30 days to leave. The letter also asks for copies of all keys for all padlocks or gates that prevent CLTC staff from accessing the property to conduct field inspections.

The park is home to year-round events besides motorsports competitions.

Exhibitions, including dance festivals, obstacle course racing and instruction opportunities are held. The temporary quarter-mile drag strip there has been credited for taking illegal drag racing off the streets. The park is also home to the annual Smokin’ Wheels off-road event, which had taken place annually in the spring until the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was to have made its return this year, said track officials.