The prospect of a $25 million makeover for the NASCAR Hall of Fame is putting the Charlotte City Council in a tricky spot. Council members are set to vote this Monday on whether to tap into a dedicated fund derived from a 2% hotel-room tax that, by state law, can only go toward the Hall of Fame complex to finance major upgrades.

The proposal includes relocating the gear shop to a former studio space, adding new education facilities, repositioning the café, and carving out more event space. On its face, the plan appears logical: the Hall opened in 2010 and hasn’t had a major refresh since then, while the city hopes to boost tourism and better leverage this uptown landmark.

Officials point out that the Hall currently injects about $74.9 million into the local economy and attracts around 2

See Full Page