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April 16, 2014, 6:01 a.m.
4/16/2014
By Mike Garrison
LiveRC.com
Troubled times have hit the state of Texas as a controversy over a state highway expansion has put one of the south's most well known R/C racing facilities in jeopardy.
Mike's Hobby Shop in Carrollton, Texas, is facing possible closure as the state of Texas is working to take half of the facility through eminent domain. Sources tell us that "the line that defines the portion of the property being sought after by the state cuts through all 3 R/C tracks, rendering the entire facility useless in terms of its current operation."
(2012 ROAR Carpet Onroad Nationals track.)
(2011 Short Course Showdown offroad track.)
For those unfamiliar with the facility, Mike's Hobby Shop has been providing recreational hobby facilities for children, scouts, young adults, and adult North Texans for over 26 years, hosting multiple ROAR National events, JConcepts Indoor National events, Shortcourse Showdown events, and more. Located on I-35 in Carrollton, Mike's Hobby Shop provides over 51,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor recreational facilities including R/C car tracks, a Pinewood derby car track, a space for indoor electric aircraft and helicopter flying, as well as a retail store with sales and in-store service.
(Hobby Shop facility.)
Supporters have gathered to help save Mike's Hobby Shop by petitioning the states action saying, "By law, the State of Texas has the right to take a landowner's property. Still, they must compensate the landowner fairly. Despite fair, honest, good faith work by Mike's Hobby Shop owner Mike Darnell, the state is insisting only purchasing half of his building, and is using real estate comparables from other parts of the metroplex that come in at 30% of the actual value of the land. Faced with having to renovate and sell the remaining half of the building, and being offered a sub-market acquisition price by the state, Mike won't be able to afford to re-open the facility and will be permanently forced to close."
(Mike's Hobby Shop owner Mike Darnell)
What will be the future of Mike's Hobby Shop? Will the south lose one of it's most beloved racing facilities? Mike's Hobby Shop supporters are asking for your help in keeping the facility alive by signing an online petition to the Texas Department of Transportation.
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