A new $100 million professional grade racing attraction is being proposed for Highway 192 just west of the Margaritaville Resort complex.
The new 200-acre racing complex, known as the Orlando Motorsports Park, will feature 2 to 3 tracks including a nearly 2 and a half mile-long track exclusively for members use, a shorter track that anyone can use, and a kart track.
According to GrowthSpotter, a large sound wall will flake the western edge of the property, helping buffer the noise from spilling into nearby residential areas. On the eastern side of the land 429 helps give the attraction plenty of visibility. That eastern side may prove to be an issue with the Margaritaville Resort just across the toll road. The Orlando Motorsports Park requested a noise variance last week for the attraction.
The developer, Andy Bardar, has a long history of racing focused businesses including operating the racing attraction at the Homestead-Miami Speedway and a traveling racing program, The HPDE (The High Performance Driving Experience), that allows individuals to race their own cars on high profile tracks around the nation.
On top of the multiple tracks, the new development will include a number of possible racing focused businesses including a racing themed restaurant, numerous retail spaces, a members only clubhouse, and a museum.
Central Florida has a long history of racing attractions.
The most well-known is likely Race Rock on I-Drive. This highly-themed racing focused dining establishment was known for their racing memorabilia and giant ‘Bigfoot’ monster truck that sat along I-4 (Bigfoot, along with other Race Rock items can still be seen at the Fun Spot in Kissimmee). High maintenance costs on the building doomed it. It was closed after just 11 years with the building being leveled three years later, in 2010, to make way for a Dave & Busters.
Just up the street at Universal’s CityWalk the NASCAR Sports Grille closed in 2014 after 15 years, it was one of the original tenants of CityWalk Orlando when it opened in 1999. That racing themed dining establishment attempted to reimagine itself as the demographics of Universal began shifting before eventually being completely reimagined as the NBC Sports Grill Brew.
At Walt Disney World, a similar attraction to the one being proposed for 192 was operated by the Richard Petty Driving Experience at the Walt Disney World Speedway. That speedway, which at one time saw crowds well over 50,000 in attendance, was built in 1995 under the Eisner era to house professional Indy style races similar to those at Sebring and St. Petersburg. The professional races only lasted a few years. The noise from the speedway was often heard from nearby hotels and throughout the Magic Kingdom parking lot. Just months before the planned closure of the speedwaya major accident killed an employee when a guest driven Lamborghini hit a guardrail. That accident involved the Exotic Driving Experience where guests could drive high-end sports cars, similar to the ones that will be available for guests to drive at the Orlando Motorsports Park. The Walt Disney Speedway was closed in 2015 for a Magic Kingdom parking lot expansion. A Richard Petty Driving Experience attraction currently operates at the Daytona International Speedway. The Richard Petty Driving Experience confirmed to the Orlando Sentinel that it wasn’t part of the Orlando Motorsports Park.
The Daytona International Speedway used to house a large museum as well, that attraction closed but the space now hosts the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. No details on the possible racing museum at the 192 attraction were given.
Over on 192, not far from the proposed new development, another racing attraction sat for numerous years. The G-Force Dragster Thrill Ride shared a plot of land with the skycoaster. After purchasing the land a few years prior, Fun Spot closed to the racing attraction in 2008. A nearby NASCAR simulator closed around the same time as well. The location of the former Dragster track is where the new Mine Blower wooden coaster is now located.
Just a few blocks from where Race Rock sat another racing attraction is currently being built. The Andretti Indoor Karting & Games will offer numerous indoor attractions, such as electric go-karts, a ropes course, escape rooms, and a large arcade, all with a racing theme.
The 192 attraction will be less focused on off the street visitors and more of destination attraction. On the southern end of the wedge-shaped property, 40 townhomes overlook the track. These homes will be available to for use by the members. A clubhouse and a members only garage area will also be included in the membership.
The noise variance application states that the tracks will operate between 9 AM and 10 PM. Prices of the new attraction on 192 have yet to be released but similar experiences typically range from $150 to thousands of dollars.
- Image via The HOD HPDE | Facebook