Now Bandimere ? (1 Viewer)

[Chili]

There is a ton of land out by Denver International Airport. Noise wouldnt be an issue. There is enough hotels and restaurants in the area to support a big event. I don’t know the cost to build a track like LVMS or ZMax. I’m afraid since the sale has been in the works for a year, if there was a feasible location for a new track, they would already have a deal in place.

 

[Stevens24]

They could have a deal and simply choose not to announce it. The Bandimere's are very humble people. Colorado does have land if nothing else and it could also end up down south by Colorado Springs as well. Thunder Valley MX track is a mile up the road so there days could be numbered as well. But that area has gone from outskirts, except the city of Morrison to basically full suburbs in the last 10-12 years.

 

[BaldyLochs]

I would think they’ll be back as owners on the front range in Colorado, in some form or fashion at least. In many ways, they’ve outgrown that location. Still no flushing toilets there. The Denver metro traffic and layout of the interstates are horrendous.
Personally (and I live here) I’d like to see a major NASCAR track here as well…I see something like a Zmax facility - but not as ungodly sprawling as Topeka. Make it the primary motorsports facility in the region. There's definitely land here for it. Maybe up in Northern CO; but the i25 freeway is awful and not convenient for airport access.
Maybe out east of town near Aurora reservoir or the “space port” south of the airport… but there’s mainly just a toll road that supports that area from the airport and I-70. And yes it’s flatter there so it won’t be so majestic and unique- but you still see the mountain range and can still drive to that area. And you still have altitude out towards the plains.
I will say this - aside from the Mile High Nationals, I don’t think Denver is a racing city at all. The main focus here is the football. For years, The Denver Sports commission has thier eyes on either hosting a Super Bowl or Winter Olympics as the ultimate prize. They killed the Denver Grand Prix, NASCAR pulled out of Pikes Peak Speedway in CO Springs. Bandimere has remained in successful with thier niche summertime events…. But again, it’s time to move the track, I believe. Whether the funding or general citizen support is still there…. I don’t know. People do come from Wyoming, Kansas, Utah, New Mexico, etc to see the drag racing though.

 

[mikebcurve]

TAMI BANDIMERE TALKS ABOUT SPEEDWAY CLOSING AFTER 2023 | Competition Plus

CompetitionPlus.com reported on April 21 that Bandimere Speedway will close at the end of its 2023 race season. Seeing the curtain drop on the Morrison, Colo. facility near Denver is hard to imagine for many racers and fans. The Bandimere family has been running the facility since its opening in...

www.competitionplus.com

 

[ironpony]

I fear National Trails is not far behind. I have heard of a few developers inquiring here because of the Intel chip factory.

 

[.]

Unless I'm misreading or being too optimistic, it sounds like the family has been scouting out locations for the next Bandimere Speedway. It appears that the family are realists and rather than digging their heels into the ground and fighting an unwinnable fight, they are going to treat it like a business transaction - take the money, invest it somewhere else. Just my impression from what was stated above.

It sounds like this is how the current drag strip came to be. I did not know there was a drag strip in Denver before - when did that operate until?

Sure, I read the article, too and I really do hope they find some new land.

It's very possible they are/were looking for another location..... But it's also very possible that it's just a "feel good" story to help downplay the loss of another race track and minimize the backlash from the racing community.

I just have a hard time seeing a current race track owner (family) willing to start all over from scratch again with a brand new facility..... Especially in 2023 where the race track business is difficult to survive in.

 

[mikebcurve]

I fear National Trails is not far behind. I have heard of a few developers inquiring here because of the Intel chip factory.

I bet. It’s only 20 miles away. There is going to be a lot of housing built to accommodate that many employees. Only way to go for land is north or east toward trails. Like the New Albany area needs to be more congested, geez.

 

[r2]

Sure, I read the article, too and I really do hope they find some new land.

It's very possible they are/were looking for another location..... But it's also very possible that it's just a "feel good" story to help downplay the loss of another race track and minimize the backlash from the racing community.

I just have a hard time seeing a current race track owner (family) willing to start all over from scratch again with a brand new facility..... Especially in 2023 where the race track business is difficult to survive in.

He did mention it would be a multi-purpose facility, which would make cents ... If you can't believe John Bandimere, then there is no hope.

 

[glofria]

Thought someone ought to share this;

 

[Jim]

This all reminds me of horse racing.

 

[Randy]

There is a ton of land out by Denver International Airport. Noise wouldnt be an issue. There is enough hotels and restaurants in the area to support a big event. I don’t know the cost to build a track like LVMS or ZMax. I’m afraid since the sale has been in the works for a year, if there was a feasible location for a new track, they would already have a deal in place.

They are already building housing near the new airport. Just a matter of time before that area resembles a city.

 

[none]

I (like everyone) love Bandimere. And they had a heck of a run. How many businesses do you know that have been in the same location for 65 years? Especially sports stadiums? Times change, if you opened a business now and were told that in 65 years you might have to move because houses (that are currently 30 miles away) will be surrounding you. Would you do it? It's like having a sponsor for 20 years then they leave. If you knew that it wouldn't last forever would you take the 20 years? I sure would.

I hope they find a place and come back stronger than ever, but right now I'm celebrating a the 65 years, not mourning that it is over for now.

Charlie Allen signed a 30 year lease when he built Firebird, thinking that 30 years sounded like forever, then 30 years went by and he wanted more.

Billy Meyer told me that when he built the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, he had a 30 year plan. He felt that in that amount of time he would be overrun and either move or close. He feels like he is on borrowed time now. He tried a few years back to move to Grand Prairie When there was a chance to secure some public funding thinking that would help him when he started having neighbor issues. It didn't go through, but he was already trying to be proactive.

I'm looking forward to one more visit, not lamenting the fact that it might be the last one.

Alan

 

[.]

He did mention it would be a multi-purpose facility, which would make cents ... If you can't believe John Bandimere, then there is no hope.

Time will tell....

 

[Nunz]

I (like everyone) love Bandimere. And they had a heck of a run. How many businesses do you know that have been in the same location for 65 years? Especially sports stadiums? Times change, if you opened a business now and were told that in 65 years you might have to move because houses (that are currently 30 miles away) will be surrounding you. Would you do it? It's like having a sponsor for 20 years then they leave. If you knew that it wouldn't last forever would you take the 20 years? I sure would.

I hope they find a place and come back stronger than ever, but right now I'm celebrating a the 65 years, not mourning that it is over for now.

Charlie Allen signed a 30 year lease when he built Firebird, thinking that 30 years sounded like forever, then 30 years went by and he wanted more.

Billy Meyer told me that when he built the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, he had a 30 year plan. He felt that in that amount of time he would be overrun and either move or close. He feels like he is on borrowed time now. He tried a few years back to move to Grand Prairie When there was a chance to secure some public funding thinking that would help him when he started having neighbor issues. It didn't go through, but he was already trying to be proactive.

I'm looking forward to one more visit, not lamenting the fact that it might be the last one.

Alan

I agree with everything you said Alan. However, on top of losing these tracks, what hurts more is that there likely won't be any new ones of the same caliber built to replace them. The world is so different now as compared to when these tracks were built. I've always been an optimist, but man, we're not just losing tracks we're losing some of our very best facilities with no replacements in sight.

 

[Butch]

I just don't understand how it can be expected that selling Thunder mtn. will provide enough $$ to move and duplicate anything close to what
currently exist. Just the cost of materials has gotten crazy, then the cost of labor. I just don't see it happening, if it was, I'd think he would have said
we have an area we are working on procuring.

 

[AJSMapleGrove]

As someone who lives between Englishtown and Maple Grove, losing a track is hard on a regular, this year makes it 30 straight years at Maple Grove for me. I saw the news about Denver and just shook my head. Thankful to still have Maple Grove. Fact is, Denver is next on the list and I'm sure down the road the whatever facility next will be announced as closing down. All I can say is, the future is here, drag racing is going to survive but the magnitude will get less and less. I worked for a IHRA alcohol funny car team years back and I once had someone tell me. Enjoy this, cause it won't be around forever. Let us all just pack the grandstands and treat each event like it's the last. Take the family/friends to the drags and treat the raceday like it's the first time your there.

10 years since NHRA added a new National Event. Sure looks like there not interested in adding anymore anytime soon.

I give it 5 years and the NHRA national event schedule will be down to 16 races. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[Randy]

Bonnie and I went there for a division race while on our honeymoon in 2020, which happened to be the first time I've ever been there. When I saw the homes being built across the freeway I knew their days were numbered, unfortunately.

 

[GumbyWVU]

I fear National Trails is not far behind. I have heard of a few developers inquiring here because of the Intel chip factory.

I thought the Intel chip factory was further east, towards Newark? There was a good article a few weeks ago in a Sunday edition of the Dispatch, and it only suggested commercial development in the immediate area of National Trail (two big warehouses at the Rt. 158/I-70 interchange).

So if the development near NTR is commercial/industrial it might not bode badly for the track.

 

[ironpony]

I thought the Intel chip factory was further east, towards Newark? There was a good article a few weeks ago in a Sunday edition of the Dispatch, and it only suggested commercial development in the immediate area of National Trail (two big warehouses at the Rt. 158/I-70 interchange).

So if the development near NTR is commercial/industrial it might not bode badly for the track.

they are planning high end homes for all the new employees in the area. Heath has developers buying up vacant land. I am in Hebron about 2 miles from the track and there is a developer bought one of the farm fields. They are planning on the employees spending big money being from what I hear the average salary is IIRC 150K. High tech jobs. I believe they are planning on a 20 mile radius from the plant which from what I understand is only the beginning of a much larger complex.
Property in the area is already selling for insane prices. The real estate sales in the paper every week go up and set new records. They are talking what happened in New Albany happening around here, price and tax the average person out.

 

[DanTheFan]

As exciting as the thought of a new track being built is, I can’t begin to imagine a business case that works …even if multi use unless it’s concert or large sport. the stands will be full this year but from tv, most of the events have had sparse attendance compared to years ago. Not enough interested young people and continued cost pressures as well as regulation pressures. Enjoy the year.