Council gives staff go‑ahead to develop "Lincoln Speedfest" concept at regional airport

Councilors discussed a conceptual proposal to host a pilot racing event called "Lincoln Speedfest" at Lincoln Regional Airport and gave direction to staff to continue planning and due diligence rather than taking immediate formal action.

City Manager Sean introduced the idea and said the event was intended to diversify airport revenue and community engagement following success with the revived Wings & Wheels event. He described the pitch brought forward by two off‑duty police officers and Council Member Pearl that the airport—s longer runway (about a half‑mile to a mile in the transcript) could host a different type of racing event and attract out‑of‑county visitors.

Police officers Rogers and Parsons, who helped design the concept, provided background during council discussion and emphasized safety planning and coordination with existing event protocols. "We—re not totally reinventing the wheel," one staff member said, noting experience from Wings & Wheels would carry over.

Council members and staff discussed potential concerns including runway wear, insurance and FAA requirements. City staff reported outreach to other airports that host similar events and said most reported little structural damage beyond rubber residue that could be cleaned. Council Member Pearl and staff projected the pilot could raise net revenue—possibly into six figures in conservative and best‑case scenarios—if run correctly; staff proposed that revenue net of costs be reinvested into airport capital projects such as runway or taxiway repairs, slurry sealing, or landscaping.

Public commenters and an attendee with prior experience running similar events advised the council of hidden costs and safety and surface conditions that can limit operations as speeds and vehicle classes change. Council members asked specific operational questions including rolling starts versus burnouts and the possible deterrent effect on illegal nighttime drag racing. The police chief cautioned against overoptimism on behavior change.

Council did not take a formal vote but gave staff a tacit direction to proceed with further planning, outreach and regulatory review and to return to council if the project encounters insurmountable obstacles or when staff needs formal approvals. Council members said safety would be the top priority and that initial planning should include insurance, FAA coordination, vendor and promoter options, and a pilot event schedule that minimizes disruption to airport operations.

Next steps described by staff: further due diligence on insurance and FAA requirements, testing pavement condition for high‑speed runs, confirming vendor/promoter partnerships (including companies that can stage and manage events), and building a budget and safety plan before any pilot event is scheduled. Staff estimated that, because the city already runs Wings & Wheels, much of the marketing and vendor contacts exist and a pilot event could be feasible with additional targeted work.