Is a road course racetrack coming to Madras?

Is Madras about to get a race track and an amphitheater?

If plans from the Oregon Development Corporation come to fruition, it will.

A proposal from ODC regarding such plans to the city of Madras was released at the joint meeting of the City Council and Jefferson County Commissioners on Wednesday, Aug. 7.

Plans presented feature two major components, both on the north end of Madras in the industrial park area: a private race track featuring high-end suites to store automobiles, plus additional ancillary development. The second element, insisted upon by the city, features a large amphitheater west of the airport.

If the proposal comes to fruition, total projected investment costs are $188,524,000. This breaks down as follows:

Phase I projected costs for the racing complex concourse club, including race track and event center are $60,000,000, while the car condo garage suites alone are projected to cost $64,600,000. The separate commercial section and hotel are projected at $11,005,300 and $32,400,000, respectively.

Phase II projected costs for the amphitheater with parking are $14,399,400, with the RV park at $6,119,200.

The project would be done in two phases:

Phase I – A 168-acre parcel to be known as the High Desert Concourse Club. This private club complex will include a racetrack capable of multiple configurations to suit a variety of events (158 acres); a private clubhouse for car enthusiasts to use the track and engage in events, and car condo suites for storage of 250 automobiles. Outside the racetrack and concourse club area, 36 acres of commercial space will be available for hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, a health club and multipurpose Expo center.

Phase II – This 68-acre site will contain the Mount Jefferson Amphitheater, an outdoor concert venue on 28 acres, designed to seat 5,000 to 8,000 fans, with a food court area and bathroom facilities. Adjoining the amphitheater will be a 20-acre RV park to provide parking and lodging for RV travelers. It will boast views of Mount Jefferson and Mount Hood. A walking trail is also planned for the site.

For comparison, the Hayden Homes Amphitheater in Bend holds up to 8,000 concertgoers.

The two sites — the racing facility and the amphitheater — are not adjoining, but both fall within the Madras city limits on airport property. Phase I is located east of the Madras airport along U.S. Hwy. 26, while Phase II is west of the airport off Northwest Clackamas Drive, just south of the Madras Speedway circle track course.

Although both properties fall within the Madras Enterprise zone, City Administrator Will Ibershof said the project does not qualify for enterprise zone. The proposal calls for leasing the land, which is proposed to be on the Aug. 27 Madras council meeting agenda at 5:30 p.m.

Some requirements:

The city will need to submit an application with the Federal Aviation Administration for approval since the properties that are close enough to the airport to require FAA approval.

Because the city will need to expend funds to acquire the permits from the FAA and others, the city requested a $100,000 deposit from the developers to cover city initial costs on the project.

“Additional infrastructures from water, sewer to roads will need to be built to accommodate the entire project,” said Ibershof, who also noted, “The racetrack will be a private track. That is why the city requested the amphitheater, expo and RV park.”

Who is ODC?

Although an out-of-state entity, the Oregon Development Corporation’s founding members have strong ties to Oregon, according to materials supplied by them to the city regarding the proposal.

Chief Executive Officer Bruce Brunette is from Sisters. He brings 40 years’ experience in construction and development. Chief Financial Officer Jeff Solscheid also brings 40-plus years of experience in business, specializing in finance. Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Craig Armstrong, a native Oregonian, brings years of experience in business development and racetrack operations. Shareholder John Erickson brings expertise with both NASCAR and IndyCar operations, while John Russell Dean III has Sports Car Club of America experience.

Their proposal includes financing strategies, cash flow projections with an estimate of jobs created. A proposed development team of architectural designers and contractors with racetrack venue experience were also included in the proposal. The projected start date on the projects is 2026, with a projected end date of 2030 for physical construction.

The ODC’s proposal could be somewhat transformational for Madras. Will it become a reality? Race enthusiasts and potentially concert-goers throughout the Northwest will be eager to see.