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Written by Steve Thompson
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Monday, 01 February 2010 |
 CLEVELAND - Los Angeles built one for the Olympics and Colorado Springs has one for Olympic hopefuls. Now a local group wants to make Cleveland the third city in the country to have an indoor cycling track known as a Velodrome.
Most Clevelanders have never seen or heard of a Velodrome. Hugely popular in the early 1900s, a Velodrome race could draw a crowd of 8,000 fans. Cleveland’s Public Auditorium hosted many bike races during the 1920s and 1930s. But the popularity of the Velodrome race died out and most Velodromes disappeared.
Now fast-forward 75 years and Cleveland may soon see indoor bike racing again. Brett Davis is president of Fast Track Cycling, a Cleveland based non-profit that has spent four years laying the track for a Velodrome.
"We are currently planning a 150,000 square foot air supported dome. Inside that dome we plan to have a 250 meter Velodrome. In addition to the cycling we also have 75,000 feet of turf field," said Davis.
He said the mixed use sports complex will also have hard court space for basketball and volleyball. The Fast Track Cycling group said that the combination of sports, under one roof, will make the facility a destination location.
"The Velodrome that we are planning to build, will be built to Olympic specifications," said Davis. "Our longer term plans are to hold regional, national, and then at some point international caliber events."
The group has entered into a purchase option agreement with the City of Cleveland to purchase the nine acre site formerly occupied by St Michaels hospital. They have a one year extension after the initial year if needed. The group chose the site because of easy access to the highway and to be a part of the Cleveland fabric.
Sherman McKee owns Bike Authority in Broadview Heights, a local bike specialty shop. He feels the proposed sports complex will be successful.
"Cleveland is kind of a hot bed for cycling because we have this great park system that circles the city . The same type of bike that would be used in the Velodome or very similar is used in the park system. Maybe somebody comes and visits the Rock Hall and then they go watch a race at the Velodrome," said McKee.
Brett Smith said the proposed complex will bring a new light and fresh energy to Slavic Village, not to mention new jobs. The non-profit board said the benefits of this project are health and wellness for ages and all abilities, youth programming and urban redevelopment.
The non-profit now begins the process of raising funds for the Velodrome and sports complex. Fast Track Cycling is seeking naming rights, corporate sponsors, private donors and private investors. To date the project has been funded by a $30,000 grant and $7,000 in donations. A capital plan of $45,000 has been pledged.
The total cost of the project is $6.5 million.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 01 February 2010 )
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