The new downtown race course proposed for the San Jose Grand Prix will be better for more people ("Grand Prix course to move away from area," April 7). For residents near the arena, the new course will be farther from their neighborhoods and will offer greater convenience for more race goers to use public transportation.

For more downtown businesses and hotels, it will generate greater business opportunities. And for the entire city, the new course will showcase our downtown San Jose for international television audiences.

The new course may seem like a "hairpin turn" to some businesses that had hoped to benefit from the original course or to neighborhood leaders like Matt Mayo who distrust City Hall. It actually represents a better long-term investment by the race producers to avoid the costs and disruption of relocating the San Jose Grand Prix to a better site in the future.

The change is a prudent decision by the city that will make this a much better event for all involved for the benefit of our entire community.

David Vossbrink

Communications Director
Office of San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales