GIUFFRE BROS DROP PLANS FOR MILE

Cite "Country Bumpkin" Management Style

at

State Fair Board

Claim Contract Abrogated 

Say Previous Promoter Debts at $4.5 Million

Special to the Readers of Milwaukeeworld 

By Michael Horne

And The Milwaukee World Hound Dog Team

You'd think the Milwaukee Mile was a roller coaster what with all the ups and downs involving the storied racetrack's operations -- or lack thereof.

In the latest episode of the saga, the Giuffre Brothers, who were unanimously selected by the State Fair Park Board on November 6th, 2009, to operate the 106 year old track, pulled out of the agreement today, Friday November 20th, 2009.

According to a letter [pdf] to the board signed by brothers Frank Giuffre and Dominic Giuffre, and sent by them to news outlets including Milwaukeeworld, the board, under Chair Sue Crane "unilaterally changed the single most significant item of the contract," giving the promoter three years to "secure a National race," replacing it "with a provision allowing only two months to secure a National race."

The brothers continue:

This letter is to inform  the Board that due to the Board's unilateral change of a fundamental, critical component to the previously negotiated provision in our proposed promoter contract with the Board, the Giuffre group is no longer interested in pursuing a promoter position at the Milwaukee Mile.

 The Giuffres also accuse the board of considerable responsibility for what they call mismanagement:

The State Fair Park Board, under sue Crane's leadership, have so mismanaged the oversight of the Mile that its reputation as a world class racing venue has ended. The most recent promoter currently has unpaid obligations to NASCAR, Indy Racing League and countless vendors in the approximate amount of four and a half million dollars for the 2009 season.

How did this happen? The Board neglected to perform appropriate, usual and customer due diligence to validate the credit worthiness of this promoter. 

Unfortunately, Sue Crane's unsophisticated, country bumpkin approach to contract negotiations is but one more chapter in the frustrating and embarrassing story of the Board's mismanagement of the Mile's operation."