Many have tried and failed, but it finally seems like an indoor velodrome will be built in New York City. And it’s only going take $40 million to make it happen. That’s the amount that Josh Rechnitz, a really cool rich guy and cyclist, has pledged to the city to underwrite the costs of the massive facility planned at Pier5 in Brooklyn Bridge Park. The press release for the project outlines its awesomeness and smartness in adding a multipurpose sports element to ensure success, cause it would never get support if it were only designed for bikes:
The Fieldhouse is envisioned to include a 115,000 sq. ft. indoor recreation center with a 200-meter inclined track for cycling and a 22,000 sq. ft. infield for high school, collegiate, club-level and professional sporting events, such as basketball, tennis, track cycling, volleyball, and gymnastics. It also includes key amenities for the park such as a public boathouse, public restrooms, and maintenance and operations space for BBPC.
It sounds great and the location right off the Brooklyn waterfront is impeccable, but if that much money is going to be spent to construct a top shelf velodrome, can’t they find room for an extra 50 meters of track so that it’s up to Olympic standards (250 meters) and can be used to host world class cycling events? The actual development of the site isn’t expected until 2014, so there’s still plenty of time to sort it out, assuming Mr. Rechnitz and the powers to be agree this is an issue. (Image: Schuermann Architects)
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It would be awesome to have another Olympic standard velodrome in the world but I think they're planning to build a track for Six Day Racing which is a big spectator sport in Europe and of course (like any track cyclist will remind you) used to be the biggest stadium sport in the USA about a hundred years ago. The tracks used for six days are typically shorter because it makes the racing more exciting and I suppose it also leaves more room for spectator seats. Actually from what I've heard the European Six Day tracks are usually around 150 meters so maybe a 200-meter track is neither here nor there.
As it, track racing is not popular, so I seriously doubt Six Day races are going to go over well. They need to do Missing Outs, Madisons, and motor-paced Keirins, all of which are better suited for 250m. I have a feeling someone just screwed up and will adjust.
they should just build a Ray's Indoor instead and save themselves the trouble of having to shave their legs.
You can focus the architecture on Six Day events, but it makes more sense to go international standard.
An indoor 250 is better if you want to run larger USAC/UCI events on the East Coast.
An indoor 250 in NYC would KILL when bidding for UCI events.
An indoor 250 would be better for Olympic rider training.
Six Days appear to be coming soon, but they aren't here yet.
Wanna bet $40m on that?
I expect they will be exciting, but not the main draw for a facility like this.
In the end, the issue isn't be the money – it's the space.
A 250 usually requires a footprint the length of an American football field (end zones too) for the track alone.