We went to one several years back. Spent the first night in Fairview Heights. Looked to be a really nice area with all new hotels, motels, restaurant's, shopping etc.
NOT!!!! A LOT of car break ins at the motels/hotels along with a few mugging's & assaults. One of the staff members at our place ( Drury Inn) got paid back for calling the police and was hospitalized. The police said it's an expected normal occurrence and they were too understaffed to deal with it
. You would think the businesses would hire off duty officers or something. But no, they claim it's too expensive. NICE!!!!
We were lucky with no problems but didn't stick around for another night of excitement. And no these were not dives' but rather new hotels restaurants etc. The police said it's just a bit too close to Ferguson and E St Louis and the thieves consider it easy pickings.
I'll advise to anyone going and staying overnight to go another 30 or so miles up the road which is what we did the second and third nights. No problems there
You may have gone to an event at Gateway, but it was never the Mopar Blast since this is the first time it will ever be held at Gateway.
Previous years were all held on a Ballpark parking lot in O'Fallon MO and were strictly car show and swap meet events thta had no racing like this one will.
As far as the motels at Fairview Heights, we've stayed at both the Drury Inn and the Econo Lodge several times for Monster Musclecar and other events at and never had a problem.
Even though we're local, we live an hour away from the track and it's easier to spend a night in a motel close to the track than waste 2 hours each day driving back and forth.
There are criminals and thieves even in the wealthiest of neighborhoods.
Fairview Heights isn't considered a bad area by any means, it's mainly retail stores and restaurants.
Don't get me wrong, I hate Illinois but Fairview Heights isn't even remotely a bad area.
You're in a far worse area when you're at the track it's self, that's where you shouldn't feel safe.
They don't put racetracks in "nice" neighborhoods.
