Motorcycle arena being planned near Route 1

JEFF EDELSTEIN, Staff Writer
July 03, 2002

The hearts of motorcycle racers are undoubtedly revving up as an indoor motocross haven is being planned for Trenton.

Trentonian Photo
This is an artist's rendering of the proposed motorcycle facility taken from the XArena Sports website.

 

 

The 230,000-square-foot facility, which would include a pair of racetracks, a 100-foot wind tunnel for indoor skydiving, a restaurant and a pro shop, would be built along Route 1 near Olden Avenue.

News of the XArena Motor Sports project has not been a secret to motocross enthusiasts -- Internet sites about the plans have been buzzing for months.

But without all the pegs in place, the management team has been hesitant to officially gone public with it.

Until now.

"They've been working on it for the past few months," said Ryan Marshall, the director of marketing for the planned XArena. "But now, we're 99 percent sure it's going to happen. The concept is there, the support is there, and the demand is there."

Marshall said the president of the arena, Clayton Keeler, along with a silent partner, are fronting a good chunk of the $25 million cost to construct the building.

The rest of the money, Marshall said, is coming from banks and the state.

"Unless the city flat-out says no, it will happen," Marshall said.

Keeler and his Executive Vice President, Francis X. Smollon, introduced the project yesterday to Trenton City Council.

Officials squirmed about the potential parking fiasco and underemployment of Trenton's work force.

But Smollon, a long-time investor in Trenton, said the Arena would be counting on Trentonians to fill skilled and management-level jobs.

And the parking was sufficient for the crowd the arena could accommodate.

He said the company will have final plans by August. And if the city gives the go-ahead, the XArena will be the only place of it's kind in America.

Professionals and amateurs would use the two tracks, and Marshall said he expects people to come from far and wide to experience the thrill of indoor racing.

Future plans include space for BMX bicyclists, in-line skating, and a nightclub.

This isn't the first time a group has sought to build the first indoor public motorcycle track; a group in Martinsville, Ind., attempted to pull it off a year ago but the plug was pulled when their financing dried up.

"I was involved with them," Marshall said. "But it was only a one-track, $1.1 million building. This is nothing like that."

If everything falls into place, Marshall said there would be a September groundbreaking and the building could be open by spring.

©The Trentonian 2002