This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Tooele • The Tooele County Commission intends to find a new operator for the Miller Motorsports Park — but as to who that might be and what form the new management might take, it's too early to say.

"Our major interest is to enter into a partnership, whether that be an outright sale or a lease" with an entity whose "core competency" is running a facility like the one the Millers are abandoning, said County Commissioner Sean Milne.

Two weeks ago, the Larry H. Miller Group of Cos. announced that it would not renew its lease, which expires on Oct. 31, on the 500-acre property between Tooele City and Grantsville. The county owns the land the facility is built on, and it is looking for a new operator — and possibly a new owner.

"I would say there have been dozens of potential suitors of one fashion or another" who are "interested in the entire facility down to specific parts of the facility." Milne said Saturday afternoon in a meeting with a couple of dozen tenants who operate racing teams out of the facility.

The tenants were polite, repeatedly expressing gratitude to Milne for meeting with them, but they were clearly concerned. Several said they had moved to Utah from places like California, Texas and Indiana specifically to operate out of Miller Motorsports Park; several said they are already losing business because of the uncertainty.

"We're all a huge family out here," said Todd Green of TAG Racing. "We do so much work just to keep this place going."

Tenants said they have received notices that their leases will expire on Oct. 31 and they need to be out by then, but both Milne and a representative of Miller Motorsports Park said they want the tenants to remain.

"We have been assured by the Miller Group … that they're looking for a smooth transition," Milne said. "We certainly don't want upheaval. Right now, I can tell you we're in no rush to get anyone out."

He added that county will "figure out a way to bridge that gap" between the current management and the new managers. And if new management is not in place by Oct. 31, the tenants will be able to sign new leases with the county that will carry over to the new managers or owners.

"This sucks," said Shane Turpin of Rickdiculous Racing. "We don't want this to change. We want this to stay the way it is."

Milne was sympathetic, but he made it just as clear that things will have to change. He said he's skeptical of the suitors who have told him they know how to easily turn the motorsports park around and make it a big financial success.

"If it were that obvious, I have enough faith in the Miller family group that [they] would have figured it out," he said. "The finances are what's driven this decision."

Several interested parties have been "quickly dismissed" as "not serious, not capable of taking care of this type of facility," Milne said. "I would say there's half a dozen or more that could."

But not only is it too early to say who will end up operating the facility, it's too early to say when that decision might be made.

"We've had some exploratory discussions, I would say is fair to call it," Milne said.

Twitter @ScottDPierce