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Josh Duke, INDY STAR.COM, June 8, 2007
Dedicated to racing
Pace Motor Sports Park would boost town's status
BROWNSBURG -- Despite boasting businesses owned
by racing stars John Force, Don Schumacher and Kasey Kahne, Brownsburg
never had a business park dedicated solely to motor sports -- until now.
Dan
and Scott Pace's TRELL Properties will begin construction this summer
on Pace Motor Sports Park, Brownsburg's first industrial development
devoted to the racing industry.
"Motor
sports has brought a lot of notoriety to this town," said Town Manager
Jim Waggoner. "It is wonderful to see your name out in national news
and national publications. I would think that would be the goal of any
community."
The 25-acre industrial park will
be between Northfield Drive and County Road 900 East, north of the
railroad on the town's eastside. The development will include a new
east-west road through the center of the park connecting Northfield
Drive and County Road 900 East.
Dan Pace
said the $40 million project would have 200,000 square feet of
industrial space when completed. Pace agreed to have no more than 20
buildings in the business park, though those buildings could be various
sizes.
"It's that kind of flexibility to
meet the needs of motor sports users that has allowed Brownsburg to
become such a player in the racing industry," Pace said.
Pace,
who along with his brother Scott owns Pace Brothers Racing, a sprint
and midget car team, also plans to be the development's first tenant.
"I
saw this property for sale next to Schumacher, and my head started
spinning, and we worked to get it done," Dan Pace said. "I have had a
lot of interest from a lot of racing people waiting for me to get this
done, including two major players."
Pace
declined to name names until deals are complete, but has no doubt the
park would be popular because of the reputation and reception of the
Brownsburg community. He plans for racing teams or race-related
businesses to fill the park.
Through tax
abatements and multi-use zoning in part of the town's current
industrial space, Brownsburg has become a magnet for racing teams.
"We
developed special zoning to allow some residential with the commercial
to house their teams while they work on their cars," Waggoner said.
Pace's
development also could have received an additional boost with last
week's announcement that the National Hot Rod Association agreed to
sell its assets -- including nearby O'Reilly Raceway Park -- to HD
Partners Acquisition Corp. for $121 million.
With
NHRA officials claiming the deal would make Indianapolis even more of a
hub for drag racing and Brownsburg an even better location for team
headquarters, Pace's development couldn't come at a better time.
"It
was pure luck," Pace said. "A year ago, I would have said Brownsburg
was the nation's best-kept secret in the racing industry. It's not that
way anymore.
"They are marketed right and
positioned in a centralized location. As long as the town continues to
be proactive, they will do very well."
Call Star reporter Josh Duke at(317) 444-2810.
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