By MURRAY EVANS

Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY — Citing the sluggish economy, the Oklahoma City council voted 6-2 Tuesday against a plan that would have committed $7 million toward efforts to bring a Grand Prix race to downtown.

Under the letter of intent, the city would have paid to create an urban race course and Oklahoma City Grand Prix LLC, a group led by local businessman Trent Ward and longtime sports executive Brad Lund, would have paid that amount back over 10 years.

The promoters wanted to bring an American Le Mans Series race to the city during the Fourth of July weekend next year, an event they said could lure 100,000 people to downtown Oklahoma City. The letter of intent was for five years, although Ward and Lund said they were committing to the project for 10 years.

After the vote, Ward said the opportunity to host such a race probably won't soon come again.

"I'm highly disappointed it didn't pass," Ward said. "I think the city has missed a major opportunity in this. ... I think was one of the few gaffes that the city council has ever made. Unfortunately, it fell on my issue."

Ward said it was "unlikely" his group would continue pursuing the race. He said Oklahoma City Grand Prix LLC had already spent more than $100,000 in trying to land the event, but wouldn't give a specific dollar amount.

Mayor Mick Cornett and councilwoman Meg Salyer cast the only votes for the proposal.

Bob Dickinson, a spokesman for the ALMS, said the series had no immediate comment on the vote.

The meeting drew an overflow crowd to the council chamber, with some in the audience wearing motorsports shirts and hats and others holding checkered flags.

Cornett, a former television sportscaster, had said landing a Grand Prix race was one of his top priorities. During the meeting, he cited the risk the city took in 2005 when, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, it invited the NBA's New Orleans Hornets to temporarily relocate on short notice. The team was highly popular for the two years it stayed in Oklahoma City and paved the way for the relocation of the Seattle SuperSonics, who now are the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Cornett said the risk-reward factor in the Grand Prix decision was not as great as it was with the Hornets.

"I believe the motorsports market in Oklahoma City is extremely undertapped," Cornett said. "The event is set up to succeed."

But except for Salyer — who said she still had questions about the project but was willing to proceed — other council members said it would look bad to commit $7 million toward such a project during a time when city departments had been told to reduce spending and jobs had been cut.

"We are all faced with a major issue of perception," councilman Ronald "Skip" Kelly said. Added councilman Pete White: "I would love to vote for it ... but I can't do it in this case. I just flat can't do it."

White cited conversations he had with businessmen about the city's timetable for filling potholes and said he couldn't justify making them wait while the city committed money elsewhere.

Ward said the group would be amenable to a two-week delay to discuss the issue further with council members. But as it became clear that the council's primary reservation involved the $7 million, Ward said that was a necessary part of the deal and asked for the vote.