PROPOSED INDOOR TRACKS NEWS/RUMORS
Websites:
Brandt Pittsburgh Racing Complex(not much there anymore)
This now covers any indoor race track plans and news, the Pittsburgh/Ohio one has been quiet for over a year,
West Michigan and Connecticut are more recent and active.
WEST MICHIGAN
- Indoor track proposed in Michigan: West Michigan Speedway is a vision for bringing professional auto racing into the new millenium with state-of-the-art facilities never before seen and providing family entertainment for travelers across the country. Theatre style seating in a climate controlled atmosphere will change the way devoted race fans and families of all ages will plan their entertainment destination. In addition, the latest progressive banking technology applied to a three quarter mile D-shaped oval will create high speed racing action that will be considered by many as the finest racing in the world.(westmichiganspeedway.com - now a dead site as of 3-17-2006)(8-7-2004)
CONNECTICUT
- Connecticut Indoor Track a step closer: A domed racetrack just over the Rhode Island border is a step closer to reality Monday after a close vote by the town's Planning and Zoning Commission. Developers in Plainfield, Conn., hope the 140,000-seat track will attract NASCAR races. But opponents of New England Raceway LLC's plan are vowing to appeal the commission decision. The commission voted 3-2 to rezone 900 acres off Interstate 395. The land will be included in a recently established resort and recreational development zone. Developer Gene Arganese of Trumbull said he plans to move ahead despite possible legal challenges. His $343-million project would include the racetrack, a convention center, a 700-room hotel and an 800,000-square foot retail complex. Six appeals have already been filed against the commission's approval last month of the new resort and recreational zone. Commission member John Meyer made a lengthy argument against the rezoning. He said the action is not consistent with Plainfield's conservation and development policies.(turnto10.com/AP)(4-27-2005)
- CT Indoor Track Passes 1st Step: A proposal that could bring a racetrack [indoor race track] and convention center to Plainfield has passed its first test. The Planning and Zoning Commission tonight approved an amendment to its zoning regulations to establish a zone incorporating the project. Local officials voted 4-to-1 to approve the application of New England Raceway and Connecticut Yankee Greyhound Racing Incorporated. The commission delayed until next month whether to designate more than one thousand-100 acres off Interstate 395 for inclusion in the new zone. Developer Gene Arganese says he can now get to work. But some residents criticized the plan, saying it opens Plainfield to large-scale developments that are not appropriate for the town.(wtnh.com),(3-23-2005)
- Connecticut Indoor Racetrack News: Plans for an indoor NASCAR racetrack in eastern Connecticut are being resurrected. Trumbull developer Gene Arganese, who last month saw his plans for a 140,000-seat domed track rejected by Plainfield's planning and zoning commission, has revised the proposal and resubmitted it. The zoning board accepted two new plans from Arganese Tuesday night and set public hearings for Feb. 3. The proposals call for adding a provision in town regulations allowing resort-recreation districts and designating 130 parcels off Interstate 395 for inclusion in such a district. A majority of zoning board members ruled that the revised plans are substantially different from the original proposal. Without that ruling, Arganese would have had to wait one year before he could refile the plans. Commission member John Meyer and alternate Sue Hatfield argued that there were no significant changes. "The biggest change is that uses that would be allowed by right will now be allowed by special permit," Meyer said. "But, they're still the same uses."
Arganese is pushing the $343 million plan, which includes the domed racetrack, a convention center, a 700-room hotel and 800,000-square-foot retail complex. Arganese hopes to attract NASCAR, Busch National, Indy and CART events to the New England Raceway track, along with drag races, concerts and trade shows. While Arganese said he was pleased with the commission's decision on Tuesday, racetrack opponents were equally disappointed. "This plan has divided families and pitted neighbor against neighbor," Kenneth Smiley, president of the "Stop the Track" group, said. "Now, we have to go through it all again." Smiley said a recent announcement by International Speedway Corp., which owns or operates 11 of NASCAR's major tracks, that it has paid $100 million to buy land on Long Island for a racetrack "makes it clear NASCAR is not coming here."(Newsday)(12-29-2004)
- Some news on the CT indoor track: New England Raceway LLC, the corporation headed by developer Gene Arganese, who wants to build a racetrack in Plainfield, has filed an application to amend the zoning regulations to allow such a venue in town. The Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday accepted the Trumbull developer's application for a text amendment, which was filed Aug. 4. The commission scheduled a public hearing on the proposal for Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall. The proposed changes would create a “resort/recreational development district,” a new commercial district that would allow for the 140,000-seat domed auto racetrack Arganese wants to build on Lathrop Road, adjacent to the Plainfield Greyhound Park. The proposed text amendment to the zoning regulations is the first paperwork New England Raceway has filed with the town in its efforts to bring a racetrack to Plainfield. If the commission also approved an amendment to the zoning map, then New England Raceway could file a site development plan.(The Day).(8-12-2004)
- Update on Domed CT Track: A proposed NASCAR-style race track would be combined with the Plainfield Greyhound Park and other amenities to provide a sports and entertainment center. While details were sparse, Trumbull developer Gene Arganese Thursday formally announced his plans to build a $400 million domed race track with the hope of hosting NEXTEL Cup races within four years of opening. The facility, which could be the first domed race track in the world, also would host home, boat and trade shows, Sportsman Series truck races and some smaller circuit auto races. Arganese and Karen Keelan, executive vice president of Plainfield Greyhound Park, emphasized that the dog track, which has operated here since July 1976, would be an integral part of the project. He indicated his company, New England Raceway, would eventually assume operation of the dog track, but neither he nor Keelan would comment on when that might occur. Arganese said the dome covering the track and exhibition areas would filter the noise both inside and outside the track. "At a distance of 500 feet from the track, the noise level would be equivalent to a hair dryer running." he said. Arganese said a similar domed track is being considered in Pittsburgh, Pa. "It would be a race to see who gets it done first," he said. The year-round facility would host between 40 and 65 events per year, including 10 races, he said. He anticipated it would take about 18 months to receive the necessary local and state approvals, and then another 25 months for construction. Arganese said his project has financial backers, but would not disclose their identities. He said, however, the backers do not include either of the region's casinos. He acknowledged he has no firm commitments from NASCAR officials, but he added, "I think the prospect of racing in a domed track would make this appealing to NASCAR." Ed Reilly, business manager for Local 15, New London-Norwich Building and Construction Trades Council, said Arganese signed an agreement to use union workers in the construction of the project.(Norwich Bulletin)(6-4-2004)
- Plans for Connecticut Track to be announced: A new plan is emerging for car racing at the Plainfield dog track. WINY-AM in Putnam reports this morning that residents in Plainfield say they've been approached by a real estate firm for a new race track and have been offered money for their properties. The Arganese Group will announce tomorrow its plans to bring a car racing track. It's the same group that tried to bring NASCAR to North Stonington but ran into opposition. Plainfield First Selectman Donald Gladding told WINY that the plan is what Plainfield needs. The radio station says the dog track would continue to operate next to the new track.(WTNH.com)(5-27-2004)
- Connecticut track under a dome? The Trumbull developer proposing to build a $400 million racetrack here said Friday that it would be the first such domed facility in America. Gene Arganese of Arganese Properties said he envisions a retractable roof over the track, which he said would dramatically increase his opportunities to host races and other events year-round. He said the decision to build a dome has not changed his construction timeline, but would require him to reduce the size of the track from a 1 1/4-mile oval to a one-mile oval. Arganese said he and his design team decided in recent weeks to attempt to build the nation's first domed racing stadium. Several major league sports are played under retractable domes, he noted, and several automotive events, including monster truck rallies and motorcycle and “mud bog” races, take place indoors. But no major races, including the coveted NASCAR races that Arganese hopes one day to promote, are held in domed facilities. Another fully enclosed raceway has been proposed by Brant Motorsports in Youngstown, Ohio. Arganese said he and his engineers were still studying how to design a safe and efficient ventilation system. Arganese has secured nearly $20 million in purchase agreements on approximately 424 acres of land on Route 2. He has proposed building a 140,000-seat stadium that would host concerts, races, and other events, including boat shows. Arganese said he also has options on nearly 600 acres in Rhode Island, but remains committed to building in North Stonington. Arganese's plan has been widely opposed by residents, who expressed concern in December that Arganese was not better prepared to answer questions about the tracks' impact on noise, light, traffic, emergency services and the environment.(The Day - need to reg to read)(2-17-2004)
PITTSBURGH/OHIO
- Ohio Indoor Track Project Dead: Brant Motorsports has abandoned plans to build an indoor motor speedway in Trumbull County [Ohio], U.S. Rep. Timothy J. Ryan announced Friday. Many who worked on the Mahoning Valley Motor Speedway said they were disappointed at the missed opportunity for new jobs and a major new attraction for the area. Bob Brant, president of the Morgantown, W.VA., company, cited changing business conditions and rising construction costs for the decision, said Ryan, D-Niles. "Bob Brant made a business decision,'' Ryan said. "He was not ready to make the financial commitment to make it happen.'' Efforts to contact Brant were unsuccessful. The proposed track, which would have been the first indoor auto track in the world, would have covered 40 acres and have been 400 feet tall. It would have contained a half-mile track and seated 60,000 people at first with room to expand. Brant first proposed building the track in Pittsburgh, but switched the location to Trumbull County near the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport in 2001. At that point, Trumbull and Mahoning counties jointly funded a $60,000 initial study that said the project was worth exploring further.(more at the Tribune Chronicle), this proposed track started in Pittsburgh, then moved to Ohio, has been rumored and proposed since 1999.(3-18-2006)
- Ohio Indoor Track News: The success of the Kansas Speedway has encouraged Mahoning and Trumbull County [Ohio] commissioners that the same thing could be possible. "If I could blink my eyes and put the same thing here today, I would do it," said Joseph Angelo, a Trumbull County commissioner, at a press conference Tuesday after his return from the trip. Officials are still a long way from making the 40-acre, 400-foot-tall indoor racetrack proposed for a site near the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport a reality. The next step would be a $150,000 study on how the facility could be used on nonrace days, said Reid Dulberger, chairman of the Western Reserve Port Authority. The first study commissioned by the authority, which is run by commissioner appointees from both counties, concluded that the $300 million track could bring $100 million into the local economy annually. It also found that the facility was likely to lose millions of dollars a year unless it attracted a race on NASCAR's Winston Cup circuit. Negotiations with the developer proposing the project, Bob Brant of Brant Motorsports in Morgantown, W.Va., would not begin until the second study is complete, Dulberger said.(more at The Vindicator)(10-27-2002)
- Indoor Track news: By its very nature, an indoor racetrack in Trumbull County [Ohio] could succeed, according to the man who wants to build one here. ''We're really interested in the market,'' said Bob Brant, operating manager for Brant Motorsports of Morgantown, W.Va. ''There is going to be an indoor motorsports facility built somewhere.'' Brant said last week that the $300 million brainchild of his late brother, Ted, could be a good fit here because it is situated between two major markets - Pittsburgh and Cleveland. The Trumbull site also allows for things the Pennsylvania site formerly under consideration couldn't offer, he said. The one-of-a-kind project escalated in cost by $100 million from its 1999 inception when it was being discussed for an area outside the Pittsburgh International Airport, Brant said. The $100 million can be saved by building the indoor racetrack in Trumbull County, where the soil is more conducive to construction than the bedrock that would have had to have been chipped through in Pennsylvania. The 450-acre site sought in Trumbull is much flatter terrain than the site outside Pittsburgh.(Tribune Chronicle)(8-4-2002)
- Indoor Track Update - NASCAR wants name taken off: NASCAR wants its name omitted from an effort to bring the world's first indoor motorsports track to Trumbull County [Ohio]. Mike Helton, NASCAR president, wrote to Reid Dulberger of the Western Reserve Port Authority on June 17 concerning an article that appeared in the Tribune Chronicle about the planned motorsports facility near the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport. In the letter, Helton wrote, ''... NASCAR does not own or operate race tracks, and it is not in any way affiliated with the proposed track. ... In addition, NASCAR has not committed to, or even suggested that it would sanction any races at a proposed race track of this type or in this area.'' Helton also wrote, '' ... we certainly salute your efforts in attempting to promote motorsports in your area, we want it to be very clear that NASCAR has no affiliation or any commitments of any kind with respect to races at this track or any track in the same general location.'' Dulberger, who received the Helton letter along with Mahoning County Commissioner Edward Reese and Trumbull County Commissioner James G. Tsagaris, said he would reply to Helton and stress that the port authority will comply with NASCAR's wishes. The next step in the planned $300 million motorsports project is to review reports from consultants Public Financial Management of Cleveland and Cleveland law firm Squire, Sanders and Dempsey. The port authority contracted with the consultants and the law firm to review financial and market possibilities of an indoor motorsports facility. The indoor motorsports track has been the brainchild of Brant Motorsports in Morgantown, W.Va. It was initially planned to be near the Greater Pittsburgh International Airport.(Tribune Chronicle)(6-24-2002)
- Indoor Racetrack News: The unique nature of the world's first indoor motorsports racetrack is worth pursuing for the Mahoning Valley [Ohio], officials looking into the $300 million idea said Wednesday. Trumbull and Mahoning county officials met with Cleveland law firm Squire, Sanders & Dempsey for a progress report. ''We were very pleasantly surprised and optimistic,'' said Reid Dulberger of the Western Reserve Port Authority and executive vice president of the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber, following the private session. ''This is a step in the process.'' He offered no specifics. A final report with cost figures is expected in two months, Dulberger said. Dulberger said it was premature to talk about costs or site location. He said the meeting Wednesday focused on how the Valley is in an excellent location for the facility in terms of the professional motorsports market. Dulberger said part of the process is educating local officials about the business side of NASCAR. ''We're learning a lot about the industry all the time.'' The next step in the process is to continue negotiations with Bob Brant of Brant Motorsports in Morgantown, WV [whp originally was to built in the Pittsburgh PA area]., Tsagaris said, who wants to build the facility. The port authority is paying the Cleveland law firm $30,000 to look into the financial aspects of the indoor racetrack. The money came from the two county commissions.(Tribune Chronicle)(6-7-2002)
- Indoor Track News - Ohio interested: Commissioners from Trumbull and Mahoning counties [Ohio] took steps Monday to bring the world's first indoor professional racetrack the size of six football fields to the Mahoning Valley. ''This is a small step, almost a baby step,'' said Trumbull County Commissioner Mich-ael J. O'Brien. Officials said it's premature to think of a possible site but the financial viability of the project will be explored by a national company familiar with sports venues.'' Trumbull and Mahoning county commissioners appropriated $30,000 each to the Western Reserve Port Authority for an economic development feasibility study. Trumbull commissioners unanimously approved the appropriation. Mahoning commissioners Ed Reese and David Ludt passed it 2-0. Commissioner Vicki Allen Sherlock was absent from Monday's meeting. The project now goes to the Port Authority to hire a financial consultant to do a feasibility study. Officials Monday said they won't disclose an exact site, but it is believed to be near the airport where there are about 140 acres for development. Tsagaris said the study could be completed in 30 to 45 days. The $400 million, 2.6-million-square-foot facility had been planned for 217 acres owned by Allegheny County near the Pittsburgh International Airport by Brant Motorsports of Morgantown, W.Va. The project was announced in 1999. Since then, Ted Brant, considered the visionary behind the project, according to Pittsburgh media reports, died in June 2000, and delays occurred when federal approvals were needed for an environmental assessment of the Pennsylvania airport site. Brant Motorsports had a memorandum of understanding with Allegheny County for a long-term lease of the property. On Dec. 13, Bob Brant, company vice president, said the track could be built elsewhere. The comments were posted on the Web site a day after Brant met with Allegheny County Chief Executive Jim Roddey at the county courthouse in downtown Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh media reported on Dec. 29. Tsagaris and Dulberger said the Mahoning Valley has become the prime site for the project. ''There are no other players at this point,'' Tsagaris said. ''Pittsburgh is off and we are on.'' A call to Brant Motorsports was not returned Monday. The proposed track would seat 60,000 people and eventually could be doubled to 120,000. A sophisticated air-flow system would remove exhaust.(in part from the Tribune Chronicle)(1-15-2002)
- Pittsburgh Indoor Track News UPDATE: Trumbull County [Ohio] is being looked at as the possible site of the world's first indoor auto racetrack, officials confirmed Wednesday. All discussions have been in private, two county officials said. The $400 million all-weather, one-mile oval track with room for more than 60,000 spectators and stretching 2.6-million square feet has been planned for near the Pittsburgh International Airport since 1999. The project is being looked at here, Trumbull County Commissioners Michael J. O'Brien and Joseph J. Angelo Jr. confirmed. Neither commissioner would comment about the specifics of the project, a possible timetable or where the project might be built in Trumbull County. Possible land acquisition in the Pittsburgh area plan calls for just more than 140 acres.(Tribune Chronicle)(12-20-2001)
UPDATE: A West Virginia businessman who wanted to build an indoor auto racing track at Pittsburgh International Airport apparently is taking his proposal elsewhere. Bob Brant, vice president of Brant Motorsports, said in a Dec. 13 posting on his company's Web site that he is considering "several alternative sites for the facility in states adjacent to Pennsylvania." Brant did not identify any locations. He had considered Youngstown, Ohio, as a site for the track at one point but had played down that possibility in the past.(Post-Gazette)(past news on my Past Pittsburgh Track News)(12-30-2001)
- Pittsburgh Track in trouble? Plans for a $400 million world's first indoor race track, to be built at Pittsburgh International Airport, are in limbo because of the inability of the developer to finalize financing for the ambitious project. Allegheny County Chief Executive Jim Roddey said yesterday the track has fallen victim to a faltering economy and declining sponsorships in the auto racing industry. Roddey made his comments a day after meeting with Bob Brant, vice president of Brant Motorsports, at the county courthouse. Roddey said Brant had been able to secure some of the funding for the project but was still far short of the total needed. He said he did not know when the project would get back on track. Brant did not request an extension of his company's exclusive right to develop the property, Roddey said. That right, granted by the Allegheny County Airport Authority, will expire at the end of the year. At that point, the authority, which does not plan to renew Brant's right, will be free to negotiate with others to develop the 145 acres, which sit on a bluff overlooking the airport.
(Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)(12-14-2001)
- Pittsburgh Indoor Track, yes? or no? see story at The Monthly Post)(12-7-2001)
- Pittsburgh Indoor Track News: The company seeking to build the first indoor auto racing complex in the world on land near Pittsburgh International Airport has until the end of the year to come up with financing for the project or lose its exclusive right to develop the property. The Allegheny County Airport Authority does not plan to renew the memorandum of understanding that gives Brant Motorsports of Morgantown, WV, control over the land unless it can finalize the financing that so far has eluded it. The sentiment against renewing the memorandum of understanding, first enacted in June 1999 and extended last year, comes about a month after Brant Vice President Bob Brant met with Youngstown, Ohio, officials about a site for the racetrack there. Brant called the interest in Youngstown a "rumor that got a little blown out of proportion." Brant said he did not know whether he would have further discussions with Youngstown officials. He said he still would like to build the racing complex at Pittsburgh International Airport. The proposed facility, which would be built on 145 acres of land on a bluff overlooking the airport, was unveiled with great fanfare in April 1999. The track would be the first of its kind anywhere in the world. The complex would feature a 1-mile oval track with 850-foot straightaways. It would seat 60,000 people and use a sophisticated air flow system to remove exhaust from the facility. Soundproofing would be used to deaden the noise.(Pittsburgh Post-Gazette), for past info on the track, see my Pittsburgh Past News page(10-8-2001)
- Pittsburgh Track News: It's been two long years since Brant Motorsports announced plans to build a $300-million indoor racing and exhibition facility near the airport. This summer, Bob Brant hopes to have plans finalized and construction started. "The answer obviously is that receiving approval from the FAA was a huge hurdle for us," said Brant, principal owner of the Morgantown, W.Va., based sports marketing firm. "Really, in the past two years, we have been doing so much as far as working on permits and things like that. We hope to move earth sometime late this summer, and we are still shooting for 2003 to open." The Brant Pittsburgh Auto Racing Complex (Brant PARC) would seat 60,000 people in a 2.6-million square foot facility on 145 acres adjacent to the Pittsburgh International Airport and leased from Allegheny County(Tribune-Review)(5-2-2001)
- Pittsburgh Indoor Track Q&A: Remember That Indoor Racetrack? by Mark Mitchell(4-18-2001)
- Pittsburgh Track gets good news: A proposed indoor auto racing complex, expansion of jet maintenance facilities and a host of other airport-related capital improvements received a boost from the federal government yesterday. After months of study, the Federal Aviation Administration ruled that some 42 capital projects would have "no significant impact" on the environment surrounding Pittsburgh International Airport. The FAA action should help to shift the Brant Pittsburgh Auto Racing Complex out of neutral. The project, the first of its kind in the world, has been idling at the starting line for months as developers awaited federal approval. Kerry Fraas, general manager of Brant Motorsports of Morgantown, W.Va., said approval should enable developers to coordinate financing plans. Brant is shooting to open the complex in 2003. The complex is expected to cost more than $300 million. It will feature a 1-mile banked oval track with seating for at least 60,000. There are also plans to incorporate a 1-mile road course and a 1/8-mile drag strip into the design(Pittsburgh Gazette)(4-4-2001)
- Pittsburgh Update: Even though speedways in Western Pennsylvania are gearing up for the start of another season, the hottest racing topic in the area remains a proposed indoor track near Pittsburgh International Airport. And to answer the question so many are asking: Yes, the project is still moving forward. In April 1999, Brant Motorsports of Morgantown, W.Va., announced it would build a privately-funded enclosed speedway on county-owned land in Findlay at a cost of more than $300 million. Since then, the track, named the Brant Pittsburgh Auto Racing Complex (Brant PARC), has been mired in a permits process. Currently, the project is awaiting approval of an environmental assessment for the Federal Aviation Administration(Pittsburgh Gazette)(3-21-2001)
- Pittsburgh Indoor Track News: Bob Brant, vice president of Brant Motorsports, has seen July and November dates for the groundbreaking for the proposed $400 million Brant Pittsburgh Auto Racing Complex come and go and now is shooting for the "middle of 2001." Much of the waiting is the result of the environmental assessment process required by the Federal Aviation Administration. A public hearing on the airport's environmental assessment plan, which includes the auto racing complex, will be held next Monday at the Pittsburgh Airport Marriott. Brant is hoping to get federal approval by February. He initially had been hoping to get it by October. Brant said the environmental assessment was an "important piece" in advancing the plans for the racing complex, which would sit on 217 acres. With FAA clearance, he said, his firm would be able to finalize financing and construction design for the massive project. Brant Motorsports is hoping to build the facility with almost all private money, but to date, few financial details have emerged. Brant said the firm is still trying to find a backer who would buy the naming rights to the complex. The development also suffered a setback in June, when project founder R. Ted Brant, 53, of Morgantown, died of an apparent heart attack at Morgantown's Clarion Hotel Morgan, which he owned. Even as the environmental assessment drags along, the firm has secured a needed zoning change from Findlay. The complex will feature a 1-mile oval track, with 850-foot straightaways. It will seat 60,000 people. A sophisticated air flow system will push exhaust out the top of the facility. Soundproofing also will be used to deaden noise. In addition to racing, Brant is planning to hold at least 200 other events at the complex each year, including boat shows, wrestling matches, conventions, indoor aircraft exhibitions, circuses and truck and tractor pulls. Brant said the proposed complex continues to receive "very positive feedback" from fans. So far, more than 10,000 people have expressed an interest in racing tickets.(in part from the Post Gazette/Pittsburgh Channel/AP)(12-11-2000)
- Pittsburgh to break ground: Construction on the world's first indoor motor speedway in Pittsburgh should start early next year. Bob Brant, president of Brant Motorsports in Morgantown, WV says the location, which is right outside the city, requires that the FAA assess the complex's environmental impact and approve the $300 million project. He had expected construction to start this year, but the FAA is still reviewing the project. FAA spokesman Jim Peters said the assessment will be circulated soon for public discussion(ESPN/AP)(11-3-2000)
- Pittsburgh Track Story: at the Monthy Post - Recent Incidents have not Steered Brant PARC off Schedule by Peter A. Chase(9-26-2000)
- Pittsburgh Indoor Track Plans move forward: Plans by Brant Motorsports Inc. of Morgantown, WV, to construct a $300 million indoor speedway near the Pittsburgh International Airport are continuing despite the recent death of one of the company principals. R. Ted Brant, Brant's president, died June 28, and is credited with being the driving force behind the project. Brant, which has a memorandum of understanding with Allegheny County for the long-term lease of 217 acres near the airport, wants to construct a 60,000-seat indoor track on the site. Plans call for the facility to eventually be able to double its seating capacity. The project, dubbed Brant Pittsburgh Auto Racing Complex, would feature a banked, one-mile track with state-of-the-art soundproofing and ventilation systems, upscale private boxes and a restaurant overlooking the track. Video screens will give fans a complete view of the race. Plans also include a multilevel parking garage, as well as a tunnel linking the infield to the outside world. A 100-by-300-foot aircraft hangar door and concrete infield surface will enable it to be used for aircraft exhibitions and heavy equipment trade shows. Mr. Brant said most of the financing has been secured for the track and talks are progressing with both Pittsburgh and international companies about naming rights. Construction is expected to begin this fall and take 18 months to complete. Mr. Brant said it's not likely that a naming rights deal will be worked out by the time construction begins(in part from the Pittsburgh News Journal)(7-26-2000)
- Sad News: R. Ted Brant, the president of Brant Motorsports Inc., a West Virginia company building a $300 million indoor racetrack near Pittsburgh, died Wednesday of a heart attack. He was 53. Brant Motorsports expects to begin construction on the racetrack in Findlay Township, Pa., this year. Racing is expected to begin in 2002. Brother Bob Brant will now assume the post of president and the project will move forward. Brant Motorsports also co-owns the Busch Series #21 team (with Richard Childress, owner of the #3 and #31 Cup teams and the #2 BGN team)(AP/WRAL)(6-29-2000)
- Indoor Track Race? Principals of Brant Motorsports Inc. of Morgantown, W.Va., plan to begin construction in July on a $390 million indoor speedway on 217 acres near Pittsburgh(PA) International Airport.
Meanwhile, a former racetrack manager, Don Naman, is trying to build a similar facility in Birmingham, AL. Mr. Naman, who previously managed the Talladega Superspeedway, said his project would cost from $250 million to $300 million. He plans a NASCAR-sanctioned half oval with a roof covering just the track and grandstand, allowing the exhaust from the cars to dissipate faster. He does not yet have a deal with NASCAR(Pittsburgh Business Times)(5-1-2000)
- Indoor Track Story: Domed track is racing vet's big dream from the Birmingham Business Journal by Gilbert Nicholson(4-18-2000)
- Pittsburgh Indoor Track Update: A $390 million indoor racing complex is a step closer to breaking ground in Findlay Township this summer. Findlay Supervisors on Wednesday approved a request from Allegheny County to rezone 217 acres from heavy industrial and business park to mixed use. The zoning change is one of the final steps in securing that Brant Pittsburgh Automobile Racing Complex would be built on the site.(Times Online)(4-14-2000)
- Pittsburgh News: The largest construction project in the area since the Pittsburgh International Airport could break ground in Findlay Township this summer. The Brant Pittsburgh Automobile Racing Complex appears to be one zoning change away from a sure thing. Brant Motorsports General Manager Kerry Fraas revealed plans Monday to the Findlay supervisors for Brant PARC. The motor sports complex would consist of a 1-mile indoor professional racing track, a hotel, retail shops and restaurants. A virtual racing arcade and attractions are planned, as well as a parking deck to accommodate 12,000 cars. Professional race driving would be taught at the site and a professional testing facility would be available.(Times Online)(3-29-2000)
- Pittsburgh Groundbreaking: The Brant Pittsburgh Auto Racing Complex, or Brant PARC, is quietly becoming a reality. Groundbreaking for the $300 million indoor 1-mile oval near the end of runway 10-L at Pittsburgh International Airport is slated for July 1(Post-Gazette), and more info on the track and tickets can be seen at the Brant Motorsports Web site(3-12-2000)
- Pittsburgh: The Indoor track in Pittsburg, PA is scheduled to have the groundbreaking in July 2000 with completion being estimated in 18 months(The Pittsburgh Channel/WTAE)(3-8-2000)
- Pittsburgh INDOOR Track Update: It's been six months since the proposal to build the world's first full-sized,, fully-enclosed racing facility in Pittsburgh first hit the streets. Although the initial shock of the announcement has subsided, public interest in the $300 million Brant Pittsburgh Auto Racing Complex remains strong, according to one of the developers. Before the company is able to cash in on the interest, the Morgantown, WV motorsports marketing firm has a few "minor" technicalities to conquer. Foremost is obtaining all the necessary permits required to build a 2.2 million square foot facility on a 150-acre parcel at Pittsburgh International Airport. No problem says Bob Brant, vice president of Brant Motorsports. The Dick Corp was named in July as the general contractor for the facility that is expected to fuel the local economy with an estimated $180 million in jobs and investment. The contractor is getting vendors in place so construction can start when approvals are obtained. The hope is to break ground midway through next year in an effort to open for racing in 2002(Brandt Motorsports Website)(12-15-1999)
- Pittsburgh Track News: The world's first enclosed super speedway will probably be under construction sometime next year, now that financing is nearly in place and a contractor has been hired, according to developers. The track, to be built about 15 miles from downtown Pittsburgh(PA), and plans have it being a one-mile track.(SpeedNet)(11-9-1999)
- Pittsburgh News: Dick Corp. is expected to be named general contractor on the proposed $300 million indoor auto racing complex in Findlay Township, adjacent to Pittsburgh International Airport. Sources in the local construction industry have said Dick Corp. has lobbied hard for the project, has a letter of intent and will likely be named the general contractor. See complete story at: Dick Corp. has inside track on racing project(Pittsburgh Business Times)(7-6-1999)
- Pittsburgh Update: from a TV interview - Bob Brant was vague in discussing the financing of the track, but seemed confident that the track would be built. He expects to breaking ground in early 2000 with the first events to be held in 2002. The track will be built on 40 acres, with 60,000 seats at first with the ability to add 60,000 more seats. The track will be a 1.0 mile oval with 44 pit stalls. Brandt is considering an infield road course as well.
When asked by a caller, Brant indicated that the cost of the project will be around $300 million with the roof accounting for approximately $30 to $50 million of that cost. When asked about a Cup date, he said that no specific discussions have taken place but that other sanctioning bodies have been in contact with them and they are talking about creating a local sanctioning body to have events that would showcase local talent. In total, with races, concerts and expositions, he indicated that the facility would be in use 200 times per year(SportsBeat a nightly Fox
Sports show in Pittsburgh, thanks Jayme)(6-24-1999)
- Pittsburgh News: Ted Brant, 52, president of Morgantown-based Brant Motorsports Inc., and Bob, 46, who handles the marketing for the company, are convinced that they can attract enough investors to build the $300 million Brant Pittsburgh Auto Racing Complex. The track, the size of six football fields, would seat up to 125,000 people under a metal roof in what the Brants say is an underserved market, drawing racing fans from Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. The track is being designed by the Austin Co. of Cleveland and Robbie/Young & Wright Architects Inc. of Toronto, the designer of the Toronto Skydome. see the rest of the story at Brant brothers have high hopes for racetrack (Post-Gazette)(5-24-1999)
- Pittsburgh Track: The $300 million track would be privately funded with the county paying for some infrastructure improvements. New jobs and more tourists could soon be coming to the Pittsburgh area. County officials say a West Virginia company wants to build an indoor racetrack near the Pittsburgh International Airport.( KDHA TV site)(4-21-1999)
- More Pittsburgh News: An indoor auto racing track the size of six football fields capable of holding up to 120,000 fans as well as a couple of Boeing 747s? Sound far-fetched? Apparently not, based on the ambitious plans of Brant Motorsports Inc. of Morgantown, W. Va., for a racing complex near Pittsburgh International Airport. Brant is proposing to build what is being described as the world's first full-sized enclosed speedway on county-owned land in Findlay. The complex would feature state-of-the-art ventilation and soundproofing to allow year-round indoor racing. See the rest of the Pittsburh Post-Gazette article at: W.Va. firm plans world's largest indoor auto racetrack here(4-20-1999)
- Pittsburgh Covered?? Maybe they want to beat Bruton to be the first domed/covered track: The auto racing track proposed near Pittsburgh International Airport will be at least three-quarters of a mile in length and may be covered to permit year-round competitions as well as other events. See the complete story at Racetrack near airport may be covered for all-season use (Pittsburgh Post Gazette/GoCarolinas)(4-16-1999)
- Pittsburgh Update: A Morgantown, W. Va., company appears to be close to announcing plans for development of a major auto racing track on Allegheny County-owned land near Pittsburgh International Airport. Representatives of Brant Motorsports and Allegheny County officials are expected to release details at a news conference next week, possibly as early as Tuesday. See full story at the Pittsburgh Post Gazette: W.Va. firm plans car racetrack near airport (4-15-1999)
- Small Tracks and Pittsburgh: ....And if anyone's really serious about building a NASCAR track near Pittsburgh International Airport - and it would be great if someone is - please keep an eye on the future. Don't build a flat 1.5-mile oval. Build something short. Build something quirky. see the rest of the story at: Columnist Lori Shontz: Tiny, quirky tracks heart of NASCAR (4-11-1999)
- Pittsburgh Track? Two groups have expressed an interest in building a NASCAR race track on Allegheny County-owned land near Pittsburgh International Airport. County officials are expected to meet Friday to discuss a proposal by one of the groups, Brant Motorsports Inc. of Morgantown, WV. See complete article at NASCAR track in works?(Post-Gazette)(3-17-1999)
