Marathon Partners Sends Letter to the Board of Directors of Dover Motorsports
tners L.P., the largest
outside shareholder of Dover Motorsports, Inc. (NYSE: DVD), has sent a letter
to the Dover Motorsports, Inc. Board of Directors dated
May 29, 2008. The
letter can be read in its entirety by visiting
www.sellthecompany.com or by
reviewing Exhibit 99.02 on
Mario Cibelli / Cibelli Capital Management LLC's
Schedule 13D/A to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
May
29, 2008.
Marathon strongly believes Dover Motorsports ('the Company') is not
serving its shareholders well by remaining independent in light of the
Company's failed growth strategy, limited future growth prospects, and the
dominance of the industry by International Speedway Corporation and Speedway
Motorsports Inc. Recent events have further emphasized the need for the Board
of Directors of Dover Motorsports to act in order to maximize shareholder
value.
Marathon Partners believes it is an opportune time for the Board to hire
an advisor to pursue a sale of the Company by means of a competitive auction.
Absent a sale of the Company, Marathon Partners emphatically recommends that
the Board of Directors close the money-losing Midwest race tracks. The
Midwest facilities will continue to generate operating losses for the
foreseeable future and have become a burden that needs to be addressed by
Board Members.
As fiduciaries to all Dover Motorsports' shareholders, Directors should
find the current speedway merger and acquisition environment simply too
compelling to ignore. Recent transactions for other racing facilities that
host Sprint Cup races make it clear that Dover's Board Members are leaving
significant value on the table by perpetuating the Company's current
independent ownership structure. Marathon Partners believes there is ample
room for either International Speedway Corporation, Speedway Motorsports Inc.,
or other potential parties to offer a sizeable premium to Dover Motorsports'
shareholders and still acquire the Company on very attractive terms.
A shareholder's level of patience is derived from the manner in which
fiduciaries conduct themselves in regard to the capital entrusted to them.
The Company's management team and Board Members have not endeared themselves
to the outside shareholders of Dover Motorsports in this regard. A poor
situation has developed with the Company through multiple years of failed
investments, continued operating losses in the Midwest, and a less-than-clear
strategy as it pertains to inevitable industry consolidation. Asking for
patience for patience's sake is an insult to long-term investors. Thus far,
patience has been a costly exercise for the shareholders of Dover Motorsports.
The words sound good but they must be backed up with action in order to have
meaning. Unfortunately, action has been missing from the equation.
After years of poor performance, it is clearly time for the Board Members
to step up and seek out a solution to the quagmire that has engulfed Dover
Motorsports.
About Marathon Partners L.P.: Marathon Partners L.P., founded by Mario D.
Cibelli in 1997, is a New York based investment partnership.
SOURCE Marathon Partners L.P.