FORT ERIE, Ont., Canada -- At least several members of an opposing ad hoc environmental committee and a potential rival track promoter are to be among those who were set to attend the Dec. 7 Town Fort Erie Council-in- Committee hearing here that will decide on the proposed Canadian Motor Speedway.

Citizens Against Racing Speedway Chairwoman Sandy Vant and her members are likely to pass by CMS supporters rallying outside the Leisureplex for the 6 p.m. hearing. Vant and some of her contigent are to question the $150 CDN million, 621-acre "World's First Carbon Neutral Race Track"'s environmental and property value features.

It is not known as of deadline whether "Niagara Falls World of Motorsport" promoter Lee Abrahamson will speak before Fort Erie elders. Abrahamson, of Toronto, unveiled his proposed $20 CDN million 3.5-mile road course, drag strip and racing club, to be sited in Niagara Falls, Nov. 25.

Abrahamson, Vant and other interested parties are to see whether the town leaders grant CMS's backers to proceed with building their project. CMS - featuring an integrated one-mile oval and 2.6-mile road course just southwest of the Queen Elizabeth Way - has been in planning since at least 2005.

The complex is to include a year-round automotive reseach and development center partnered by McMaster University, a retail-commercial area, an ecology park, camping ground and bike paths. The first event, pending approval, is scheduled for April 2011.

CMS's partners also include Jeff Gordon, Emeriates Consulting, of Dubai, and Bayt Al Mal Investments Bank of Kuwait. The four-time NASCAR now-Sprint Cup Champion is aboard as speedway design consultant, Bayt Al Mal bought the acreage October 2008 and Emeriates Consulting is a among the partnership's financiers.

It is not known whether - or if - Emirates Consulting is affected by Dubai World's debt crisis as of deadline. Dubai World is looking to sell some of its assets to pay part of its some $61 billion CDN in debt due this month. Dubai state officials said they will not help bail out Dubai World - who has constructed the current world's tallest building and the palm leaf-outlined gulf shore city.

CDN's proposal, on town councilors' approval, would then go to the 12-town Niagara Region Council Nov. 9 to pass their muster. Both approvals would green light construction.

Vant and CARS, however, do not want CMS to get that far. They will present a "several hundred" signature petition against the proposal; Vant said, to the "Fort Erie Post" Oct. 21, that they received 300 electronic signatures on forteriecars.org since their Oct. 1 formation.

"We're for smart development but most of the jobs CMS have are seasonal or part-time," said Vant at the time. "I dare anyone to raise a family on part-time wages."

The proposers, on cdnmotorspeedway.com, said that 100 full time and 2,500 part time jobs would be created year- round and during the racing season. Another 2,000 on-site or indirect construction jobs would be generated.

CARS's Web site once showed a one- to five- mile radius of 80 decibel noise travelling from the projected site. The site considers that the racing car-generated noise would go on CMS's 150-date schedule.

"When the public realizes that the noise can go on all day every day and spread for miles, they can't expect enforcement from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment," said the site passage. "For reasons lost to history, MOE doesn't regulate motor racing facilities. It'll be up to the town to enforce with their own resources."

Concerning the 65,000 - 100,000 people attending the several special professional events during the year, CARS estimates that it would take three hours each way for them to enter or leave CMS.

"Cars will be idling at least three hours to leave the venue," said the site. "Will it be another three hours to park? This will create health hazards for those with breathing problems."

CARS continues with citing a preliminary traffic impact assessment report that recommends nine traffic intersection improvements and a number of roadways widened to three or five lanes.

CARS also cites a Holy Cross University study questioning the economic effectiveness of racing compared to other sports events - citing the Daytona 500 in Volusia County, Fla., - and Extreme Clean's experience in cleaning Daytona International Speedway of solid waste after the 500.

CARS, furthermore, cited several race tracks - from New Zealand's Western Springs Stadium to nearby Dunnville Autodrome - in poor promoter-neighbor relations. Dunnville, a 10-turn, 1.36-mile road course southeast of Hamilton - was closed by the Ontario Municipal Board Aug. 18 in part by neighbors' noise complaints.

Abrahamson, who created Dunnville from an ex-RCAF airfield in 2005, may well be gauging how the meeting goes in relation to his own request before the Niagara Falls Zoning Board. The 40-year motorsports veteran has asked that board Nov. 25 to consider changing its official plan to include a non-agricultural use like NFWoM. Niagara Regional planner Sue Mabee said, in the Nov. 27 "Ft. Erie Post," that a public-imput hearing may be scheduled in January.

Abrahamson is looking at a 230-acre lot northeast of the QEW/Sodom Road interchage in that city. He envisions - in three stages - building a road course and drag strip from an existing landing field, karting track, a conference center, museum and food concession area.

Abrahamson, to the Nov. 24 "Toronto Star," said that his project is separate in several ways from CMS. NFWoM, for example, is largely for seasonal club events with maybe a couple of professional races. He intends to rely on some existing 16,000 motel rooms and camping sites instead of building a seaprate hotel and on-site camping. He said that he has noise and traffic engineering plans drafted.

"I want to drive traffic to Niagara Falls because the happier the hotel operators and merchants are, the happier I'll be," said Abrahamson ro "The Star." "You can get a return on a $20 million investment. How can you get a return on $200 million? - Impossible."

The OMB ultimately closed Abrahamson's Dunnville Autodrome on the basis that it violated that town and Haldimand County's permitted uses at the airfield. This decision was despite the track's use of mullflers.

Abrahamson declared that the autrodrome was not a race track because no one passed each other on course. He designed the track for club-level track days and the Bill Brack driving school.

OMB sided with the Dunnville Community Association Respecting the Environment, stating that the autodrome was a racetrack since more than one vehicle was on the circuit.

The autodrome's sole fatality had no bearing on OMP's closing. Sidney Payne, 73, of Mississauga, was driving a 1991 green Mazda Miata when it went straight off the track's Curva Grande Turn 10 and 300 feet into a hangar wall July 19, 2008. Bystanders and arriving EMS staff were unable to revive Payne.