New indoor velodrome in Detroit

[fiamme red]

http://www.bicycleretailer.com/north-america/2017/01/24/detroit-breaks-ground-4m-facility-include-indoor-velodrome#.WIjNltQrK9I

[stephenmarklay]

Super cool. I’m never moving back though.

[AngryScientist]

wow. surprised they found enough affordable real estate in motor city to build one.

[cachagua]

What surprises me is that you can build a track of that caliber for as little as $4 million.

That isn't exactly peanuts, but it's much more within reach than I thought such a project would be. Very encouraging.

[fiamme red]

What surprises me is that you can build a track of that caliber for as little as $4 million.

That isn't exactly peanuts, but it's much more within reach than I thought such a project would be. Very encouraging.A philanthropist offered to donate $50 million to build an indoor velodrome in Brooklyn Bridge Park a few years ago, but the project was scrapped (among other reasons) because that sum wasn't enough to cover the costs. :confused:

http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/36/2/all_velodromedead_2013_01_18_bk.html

[stephenmarklay]

wow. surprised they found enough affordable real estate in motor city to build one.

It’s getting better but they were basically giving away houses there.

[MattTuck]

What surprises me is that you can build a track of that caliber for as little as $4 million.

That isn't exactly peanuts, but it's much more within reach than I thought such a project would be. Very encouraging.

A philanthropist offered to donate $50 million to build an indoor velodrome in Brooklyn Bridge Park a few years ago, but the project was scrapped (among other reasons) because that sum wasn't enough to cover the costs. :confused:

http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/36/2/all_velodromedead_2013_01_18_bk.html

Yeah... my reaction also. $4M is at the EXTREME low end of the cost estimates I've seen for constructing a velodrome, and the story makes it sound like the $4M is building a velodrome AND some other parts of the complex...

The rendering in the story doesn't have any stands, and so maybe that saves some money. But even for a bare bones velodrome, $4M seems pretty cheap.

Likely to see a thread in a year or two, "Detroit Velodrome construction halted as cost overruns mount".

[nooneline]

What surprises me is that you can build a track of that caliber for as little as $4 million.

That isn't exactly peanuts, but it's much more within reach than I thought such a project would be. Very encouraging.

Well, exactly what "that caliber" is isn't clear. People always say stuff like "world class" and it's not clear if they're talking about dimensions or design and construction quality. Dale Hughes builds short, inexpensive, moveable tracks with metal skeletons and plywood surfaces that quite frankly are a far cry from high-quality strip-wood tracks, or even concrete ones. "World class" could be marketing/outreach speak, it could mean that the track is 250m, but given the price tag it almost certainly doesn't mean that it's a track comparable to those in Carson and Milton.

[zmudshark]

More info:

http://detroitfitness.org/

[ultraman6970]

Wish we had one here damm it!

[mjalder2]

I was looking around for velodromes, because winter problems, and noticed that there's an old velodrome in DTW that had fallen into disrepair. Really interesting to look at how busted up it was. Seems like it would have been cheaper to refirb that one, but it was outdoors so maybe it wasn't worth it to a place that sees a bunch of snow/ice/lake effect.

[fiamme red]

Apparently, it's not the first indoor velodrome in Detroit. I found this (http://www.atdetroit.net/forum/messages/91697/97286.html?1175958245):

Back in the mid 70’s, Mike Walden built a wooden velodrome that could be trucked wherever. A pal of mine (and his brother) would race on that thing. I was there "support" team. Mikes track boasted the steepest incline and shortest straightaway of any indoor velodrome of the time. This made for a rather challenging track. It was great fun watching the racers doing a "Madison" heat, trying not to collide while handing off the baton. When they would wipe out it was just amazing no one got killed, including the spectators.https://youtu.be/xehtMILzat0?t=54s

[torquer]

A philanthropist offered to donate $50 million to build an indoor velodrome in Brooklyn Bridge Park a few years ago, but the project was scrapped (among other reasons) because that sum wasn't enough to cover the costs. :confused:
Many factors were at work inflating costs for the Brooklyn project, and two which could account for lower costs for Detroit:

"1/10th mile" track converts to 158 meters, so probably 167 meters (1/6th kilometer). Wasn't that the size of the portable track making the rounds a few years ago?
Inflatable structure, fairly common for sports facilities, is cheaper than a rigid structure, and sometimes working in an existing structure is even more expensive.

These may not make enough difference to reach the $4MM figure, but the Brooklyn project is a poor basis of comparison.

[ceolwulf]

Wish we could get one in Winnipeg again. But if they did they'd probably cheap out like they did the first time and make it an outdoor track again, which would once again not get enough use to pay for itself (because Winterpeg), then not get funding again, then not get maintained again, and eventually get torn down again in a chorus of I-told-you-so's.

I really think an *indoor* velodrome could do extremely well in Manitoba. The riding outside is not great anyway, and then if you could ride year round, I could see this bringing a lot of new people into the sport.

[93legendti]

I am surprised since 10 years ago an outdoor velodrome was built about 20 miles away.


The $4 million price tag is only an estimate if the City is involved. I will be shocked if it isn't much higher when it is done.

[nooneline]

Many factors were at work inflating costs for the Brooklyn project, and two which could account for lower costs for Detroit:

"1/10th mile" track converts to 158 meters, so probably 167 meters (1/6th kilometer). Wasn't that the size of the portable track making the rounds a few years ago?
Inflatable structure, fairly common for sports facilities, is cheaper than a rigid structure, and sometimes working in an existing structure is even more expensive.

These may not make enough difference to reach the $4MM figure, but the Brooklyn project is a poor basis of comparison.

Yeah, it sounds like the Detroit one is going to be tiny, like Cleveland and the CVC.

I've talked to some people who have specced out projects and they talk about costs that rise exponentially (not linearly) as you try to increase the size of an indoor velodrome. Mostly this has to do with having a building without beams in the infield - a track can't be homolugated if officials don't have a 360deg line of sight, and supporting a roof over a 250m track is far, far more expensive than supporting one over a 200 or a 166.

[ntb1001]

What surprises me is that you can build a track of that caliber for as little as $4 million.

That isn't exactly peanuts, but it's much more within reach than I thought such a project would be. Very encouraging.
The velodrome recently built in Milton ON for the Pan Am's cost over $50 million.
A much cheaper version was previously done in London ON, but the building was an old OHL hockey rink.

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[paredown]

Wish we could get one in Winnipeg again. But if they did they'd probably cheap out like they did the first time and make it an outdoor track again, which would once again not get enough use to pay for itself (because Winterpeg), then not get funding again, then not get maintained again, and eventually get torn down again in a chorus of I-told-you-so's.

I really think an *indoor* velodrome could do extremely well in Manitoba. The riding outside is not great anyway, and then if you could ride year round, I could see this bringing a lot of new people into the sport.

Exactly the story for the original China Creek track in Vancouver, built for the British Empire Games in 1954. Fabulous track, 250m/45 deg bankings, beautiful edge laid western yellow cedar.

No roof and a wooden track--***? Anyone forget how often it rains in Vancouver?

Maybe it's a Canadian thing?

At least they were forced to build a replacement after they illegally tore it down...

[fiamme red]

http://www.bicycleretailer.com/north-america/2017/11/10/lexus-becomes-naming-sponsor-detroit-indoor-sports-complex-velodrome#.WgeyWtQrK9I

"The Detroit Fitness Foundation has announced that Lexus has paid for naming rights at its indoor multi-sport complex, which includes a 166-meter velodrome. The complex is officially named the Lexus Velodrome and is set to open to the public in January."

[zmudshark]

Open soon!

http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2018/01/sneak_peak_inside_michigans_fi.html#incart_m-rpt-2

[ftf]

Open soon!

http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2018/01/sneak_peak_inside_michigans_fi.html#incart_m-rpt-2

Plywood=Disappointment.

Looks ok.

166 meter...... MEH MEH MEH

[ultraman6970]

They needed to cut costs with a project that who knows if it will work. Is tad longer than the one in London, Canada (138 meters, 50/10 degrees banks). Which probably is the one they took as example.

Canadians in that area gather together and pretty much did it by themselves, the nice about plywood is that is easier to repair, slow? well... not that much IMO but is noisy tho. Canadians put theirs in a hockey field building, I imagine the detriot one rides similar to the canadian one since are quite similar.

At least detroit has a velodrome, here we have jack!

[wallymann]

x

[ntb1001]

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