Motorsports Entertainment Complex in Lorain should boost local economy | Editorial

Ohio Motorsports Park Real Estate Holdings LLC’s announcement that a groundbreaking for the Motorsports Entertainment Complex in Lorain is slated to occur the week of June 24 is good news for the International City.

The groundbreaking of the state-of-the-art Motorsports Entertainment Complex has been long-awaited. It was scheduled to happen last year, but did not because of undisclosed issues  with contractual agreements.

Kris McCrone, president and owner of McCrone Motorsports, who has been the face of the project, points out this development promises to be a major addition to Lorain’s community and economy, creating a dynamic venue for both local residents and visitors to dine, shop and have fun, in addition to creating jobs.

McCrone acknowledged it took some time to work through some development challenges, but he and his team are excited to give the green flag to construction on this complex as they believe it can be a huge catalyst for Lorain.

Ohio Motorsports Park still is in the process of acquiring XELL Real Estate Holdings LLC and XELL LLC, the developer of the project, which is slated to be built on 300 acres of a former landfill on the city’s east side near Cromwell Park.

The city of Lorain and Lorain County commissioners each agreed in 2023 to give $2 million to the developers to assist in the construction of the Motorsports Entertainment Complex.

However, Xell still must kick in the $8 million it promised before any city or county dollars rightly should and would be added to fund the project.

The initial cost of the first phase of the project has been estimated at $9 million, and developers have not disclosed the projected cost of future phases.

Eventually, the Lorain Ohio KartPlex will include a .82-mile international competition track, a .43-mile track for rental racing karts, a .35-mile indoor kart track for electric racing karts, an eSports Arena focusing on motorsport simulators, a restaurant and brewery by Cleveland Restaurant Group, a corporate training and event center, radio controlled track, on-site storage facilities, motorsports retail store and a lounge and fitness center for members.

Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley has supported the project since it was announced.

Bradley and city officials are happy to see this project come to fruition. He’s right when he says it will be an exciting addition to tourism in Lorain and a destination for families and racing enthusiasts.

Once up and running, the complex should create an economic boost throughout the area.

Lorain County Commission President Jeffrey Riddell has thrown his support behind the project, adding that it will create a year-round recreational facility that generates revenue through taxes from a currently unused property.

There was another announcement this year that honed in on entertainment in Lorain County.

Lorain County Fair officials hosted a groundbreaking June 14 for the new Ross Exposition Center, 23000 Fairgrounds Road in Wellington.

The new 55,000-square-foot exposition center and indoor arena has been in the works since 2020.

It’s expected to be completed by the 2025 Lorain County Fair.

The Fairs Forever campaign raised money for the exposition center, which will be introduced in phases, to include a climate-controlled facility, replacement of the beef barns, addition of a covered outdoor arena and parking lot improvements.

Many donations came in from Lorain County Fair supporters, but Ross Environmental Services, a longtime supporter of the fair through sponsorships year-after-year, gave a generous $4 million.

The goal of the exposition center is to accommodate events like weddings, sporting events, vendor shows, animal show ring and other happenings throughout the year.

A third major project announced this year that will boost the Lorain County economy is TopGolf, the sprawling entertainment venue with a high-tech driving range and swanky lounge with drinks and games.

In February, the Avon Planning Commission approved the TopGolf facility, which will occupy space between Ashley Furniture and Planet Fitness on Chester Road.

TopGolf plans to open the two-story, 60-bay venue style facility with an outdoor patio geared toward families by 2025.

The golf facility will serve as a replacement for West Pines Golf Range, which closed in 2019.

All of the recently announced projects should boost Lorain County’s economy.