Soon, when you’re done picking up some deals at the Gilroy
Premium Outlets, you might be able to top the day off with a few
high-speed laps around a go-cart track.
Soon, when you’re done picking up some deals at the Gilroy Premium Outlets, you might be able to top the day off with a few high-speed laps around a go-cart track.
Brian Bradshaw, owner of Sea-Tek Precision Machined Products in Morgan Hill, and his wife, Denise, are looking to open Arroyo Circle Racing, with tracks for both beginner and advanced riders, by March 2011. They hope that it could be one of the largest go-cart race tracks in the United States.
“Our goal has always been to start one of the largest indoor racing facilities in the country,” Bradshaw said in a prepared statement.
Bradshaw said he and his wife have been in discussions with the city and several building owners in the area. Several city representatives have said he is looking specifically at the 126,000-square-foot former Wal-Mart building at 7900 Arroyo Circle, which has been vacant since Wal-Mart moved to 7150 Camino Arroyo in September 2005. However, Bradshaw stressed that no deals have been signed with the building’s owner.
Gradually, Bradshaw hopes to turn the go-cart attraction into a full-fledged family-friendly recreational center. He mentioned paint ball, laser shows and live music, although he said such plans are a long way off.
Bradshaw also hopes to eventually manufacture some of the same go-carts he plans to use at the recreation center, possibly building them somewhere in the greater Gilroy area. His company builds wafer fabrication equipment and medical analysis equipment, among other items.
Bradshaw already has constructed a specially made prototype of the go-carts, built with independent suspension and using an airplane engine. The cart has the “handling of a Porsche,” Bradshaw said.
“People who are into go-carts have been waiting for this for about 100 years,” he said.
Bradshaw made a presentation about his plans at a Gilroy Economic Development Corporation meeting earlier this month.
“He’s been making the rounds, expressing enthusiasm,” said Richard Spitler, CEO and president of the Gilroy Economic Development Corporation.
Spitler said he has been working with Bradshaw on a letter of intent to the city.
The race track could join other unique tourism draws such as Gilroy Gardens, local wineries, Premium Outlets and the Garlic Festival, he said. Although Gilroy is not as dependent upon tourism as some other cities in California, there is growth potential for that industry, he said.
“Everyone, I’ve talked to has just been enthusiastic,” Spitler said. “I don’t see a downside to this one.”
Out-of-towners said a go-cart track would be just another reason to visit Gilroy.
“That would probably bring a lot more entertainment here,” said Juan Gutierrez, 26.
Gutierrez said he makes the two hour-trek to the outlets from his home in Merced about once a month. On Friday afternoon, he, his sister and her boyfriend made the rounds at the outlets.
“If you’re looking for variety, this is it,” Gutierrez said. “But my brother wouldn’t come because he didn’t want to go shopping. (Go-carting) would give him something to do. That would be perfect.”
Her two children scampering ahead of her, San Franciscan Kathy Chao’s instructions for them to wait up fell on deaf ears.
“Could I drop them and leave them?” she joked. “But it would be nice to have a place to drop them for an hour or so.”
Though few Gilroyans were shopping at the outlets Friday, locals working at the Clarks shoe outlet said a go-cart track would be a great place to unwind.
“It could be really cool,” said Jacqueline Ourricariet, 20, of San Martin, who heads to StriXe in Morgan Hill with her coworkers after work.
“There’s nothing to do in Gilroy,” said coworker Juan Becerra, 20. “I think it would be something for kids to do.”
City Councilman Bob Dillon, who heard about the project during this month’s EDC meeting, had similarly high hopes for the attraction.
“I’m a car guy,” Dillon said. “I think it’s great. I think it would bring gigantic revenue to the city.”
Mayor Al Pinheiro thought the potential Arroyo Circle location of the project would be perfect. If there were go-cart tournaments, people likely would use local hotels, and that could bring in tax revenues, he said.
A flea market-type applicant had expressed interest in the site at one point, but Pinheiro said he had not heard of any other interested parties.
“The bottom line is this kind of facility to a community such as ours … brings a little bit more name recognition for Gilroy – especially if it’s the biggest indoor track in the United States,” Pinheiro said.
Bradshaw said he is happy to receive support from city leaders and members of the community.
“It is an exciting thing, and I am an excitable guy,” Bradshaw said. “I’m working full-time on it, but I have so much more to do.”
Sara Suddes contributed to this report.
