Canadian Auto Racing Complex Gets Thumbs Up
Construction has broken ground on an ambitious new Canadian auto racing complex in Ontario, after Kuwaiti investors received the green light from Canadian authorities which allow them to start building.
The massive Ontario auto racing complex will be built on farmland over 332 hectares near the Peace Bridge border crossing and Niagara Falls. The location was chosen due to the proximity to the United States and the casinos and hotel complexes in Niagara Falls.
According to investors, the complex, to be known as the Canadian Motor Speedway, will be able to house 65,000 spectators as they watch auto racing on a 1.6 km banked oval track. This track, which will become the largest in Canada upon completion, was designed by NASCAR champ, four times winner Jeff Gordon.
It has taken five years to plan and navigate provincial government approval for the project, and the investors, TII and Emirates Consulting LLC, are positive that it will become a success story.
Track Brings Employment to Region
Analysts believe that construction on the Canadian Motor Speedway is coming just at the right time as many people are being laid off following the closing of the 115 year old horseracing Fort Erie Race Track.
But while the new track may provide employment for the builders, it is not guaranteed that it will be a feasible long term project. "There are a lot of people who want racing in their backyard," said an expert with the motorsport industry, Ramsay Poston. "Unfortunately, given the schedule and number of races, not every top series can race at ever track.
However, the executive director for the new Canadian auto racing track, Azhar Mohammad calmed these concerns and said: "The way that the industry works is, first, you have to build it. There are various ways of sanctioning bodies out there, such as NASCAR, that we believe would find an interest in a facility like ours. But you know, when the track is ready, that's the time to start having these conversations."
Number of Race Series
The investors of this new project have made the track as accessible as possible to a large number of motor sport products, including stock car racing, open wheel racing, motorcycle racing and more. As such, multiple race series could find the track attractive, including NASCAR, Formula 1 and IndyCar.
Competition exists through the Michigan International Speedway, only 90 minutes from Windsor, Canada, which is already a favorite stop on the NASCAR circuit. However, Mohammad argues that Michigan, although a great track, does not have Fort Erie's prime location.
"It's in the middle of nowhere," he said about Michigan. "Fort Erie is 15 minutes from the brink of Niagara Falls. It's close to Buffalo. We have casinos in the area. Hopefully, if they can manage to sustain the horse racing, that will be another great value add for patrons coming to visit the speedway."
