Racier City? New race-track proposed near Airdrie.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Muta

As far as I know, private investment is paying for this. I think the airport code will be YDX.

Interesting, I wonder if they are envisioning taking some of Springbank's charter and executive traffic away? You could argue that this location would be closer to the downtown core for private jets than Springbank is.

Will be interesting to see play out, any idea on runway length yet?

[Bigtime]

Just saw this on twitter from a Metro reporter:

Phase 1 build of Rockyview Motorsports Park will include quarter-mile drag strip, 4.5km main track, car condos and go-kart track

Proposed track would be longest in Western Canada

[getbak]

What the hell are "car condos"? Is that a fancy name for "garages"?

[rohara66]

Originally Posted by getbak

What the hell are "car condos"? Is that a fancy name for "garages"?

Pretty much...

http://jalopnik.com/5491243/garage-c...imate-man-cave

[Barnes]

That's a nice car hole.

[Bigtime]

Great reference. ^^^

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by Barnes

That's a nice car hole.

I thought it was car hold. Am I mistaken?

[Muta]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Interesting, I wonder if they are envisioning taking some of Springbank's charter and executive traffic away? You could argue that this location would be closer to the downtown core for private jets than Springbank is.

If this is the same project I think it is, this airport will cater to private jets of small and medium size. No commercial jets as of right now, but lots and lots of private / company-owned aircraft.

From what I hear, they will not be cheaping out on the airport. This project has been in consideration for over three years - ironically, a lack of funding at this point is one of the main issues this project isn't further ahead than it is.

[BlackArcher101]

I'm really looking forward to it, but I know not to get my hopes up. The key hurdle for projects like these are permits, and NIMBY's always seem to get in the way. It only takes one.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

I thought it was car hold. Am I mistaken?

Moe:"Garage?! Ooh, la, la Mr. Frenchman."
Homer: "What do you call it?"
Moe: "A car hole."

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Muta

If this is the same project I think it is, this airport will cater to private jets of small and medium size. No commercial jets as of right now, but lots and lots of private / company-owned aircraft.

From what I hear, they will not be cheaping out on the airport. This project has been in consideration for over three years - ironically, a lack of funding at this point is one of the main issues this project isn't further ahead than it is.

Do they plan to have customs on site? That will be a big make or break for attracting executive traffic. Plus YYC already has some new FBO's getting built (Millionair), which will make the competition to go to a new field that much harder.

I could see it becoming Springbank east though, possibly with flight schools opting to move out of the very congested Springbank and practice area airspace for the wide open skies east of Calgary.

[Table 5]

Why does a race track need an airport anyway? I don't get the connection.

[morgin]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Why does a race track need an airport anyway? I don't get the connection.

To attract any of the higher end series, you need to be able to compete on facilities. A lot of racetracks have small airport facilities for the drivers and crew to fly their private jets into. Depending on location the cars themselves are often flown in as well (although in north america there is a lot of transporting by truck from race to race). This is probably more common in european series, but a lot of nascar and indy tracks do have small municipal airports in proximity to the racetrack.

Edit - As an example:

"Adams, the airport manager in Talladega, enjoys the NASCAR crowd, though it makes for "a busy weekend." His airport is usually home to about 35 planes. He parks 10 times that many on race weekends and charges each $20 a day. On a normal weekend, Adams sells 2,000 gallons of fuel. On a race weekend, he sells 30,000 gallons."

http://community.seattletimes.nwsour...lug=airport11m

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Why does a race track need an airport anyway? I don't get the connection.

Basically, you can shut down the airport and race on the tarmac. For example, the Edmonton Indy takes place at the municipal airport.

Edit: and the above, from someone who seems to know more than I do.

[morgin]

Originally Posted by SebC

Basically, you can shut down the airport and race on the tarmac. For example, the Edmonton Indy takes place at the municipal airport.

Edit: and the above, from someone who seems to know more than I do.

This would not be considered typical though, and my understanding is that as of right now the proposal would not have the airport forming part of the track.

Edit: Which isn't to say airports aren't eventually turned into racetracks. Just that active runways are usually not doing dual duty as part of an active racetrack. You need both on a race weekend.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebring_Regional_Airport part of the old runways here eventually became Sebring Int. Raceway, but the current runways are distinct from the actual track.

[Table 5]

Ok, that makes sense, thanks for the run down morgin.

Hopefully they aren't integrated in terms of the racing. I've never personally like racetracks that use runways....it always felt like amateur hour (kind of like using football fields to play soccer).

[Locke]

I've once raced down the airport runways in Lethbridge. It was pretty neat, theyre a lot wider than normal drag strips

[BlackArcher101]

There would be no chance they'd use the runway to race on. They only do that for defunct, abandoned, or non-busy airports. To close one down that's newly built to help bring traffic to the track? Not a chance, it would be busier on race weekends.

They are probably building it to allow the high rollers around north america to come to their garage condo for the weekend and race their pretty cars. As well, if this track attracts a few racing series perhaps of the international variety, the drivers and families would fly in just before the race after the crew gets there.

They would have to be some high rollin prima donna's though for an airport to be the deciding factor over a sedan ride from YYC.

[homestand]

Hopefully it is not as boring as the track was at Racecity. Spa would be too too much to ask although Calgary is in an ideal geographic location for something like Spa. RMP are hyping it as something special, but they have a financial interest in making those claims.

Looks like it might be a similar development to http://www.motorsportranch.com/ in Texas. The TV series http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0483493/ was filmed at the development. The program is still broadcast on RadX-HD if you subscribe to Bell-TV or Telus in Calgary. The racers seem like weenies on TV but they might be nice in reality.

[Table 5]

One thing I really hope they'd do is have some sort of Skip Barber-esque racing/driving school. Always wanted to take one of those, but didn't feel like making a giant trip out of it (it's expensive enough as is).