FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Contact: (202) 514-2007 [Voice]; (202) 514-1888 [TTY]
http://www.usdoj.gov
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT WITH THE OWNERS OF HUNTSVILLE SPEEDWAY TO ENSURE ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Justice Department today announced a settlement agreement with past and current owners of Huntsville Speedway, resolving an investigation into allegations that the race track is inaccessible to spectators and racers with disabilities, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
"I applaud the owners of Huntsville Speedway for working cooperatively with us to ensure that persons with disabilities will have the opportunity to participate in and enjoy all of the activities offered there," said Wan J. Kim, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.
Under the agreement, the owners of Huntsville Speedway have agreed to:
- Make physical modifications to Huntsville Speedway so that parking, ticket counters, toilet rooms for spectators and racers, spectator seating, and routes to spectator seating are accessible to people with disabilities;
- Provide patrons seated in wheelchair seating areas with waiter/waitress service for concessions purposes during all scheduled events and provide an accessible concessions counter for racers; and
- Pay monetary relief to the two individuals whose complaints prompted the Justice Department's investigation.
The settlement agreement will remain in effect for three years.
People interested in finding out more about the ADA or the agreement can call the Justice Department's toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TTY), or access its ADA website at www.ada.gov.