South Florida
Business Journal - June 23, 2006
Xtreme Indoor
Karting will open its doors to go-kart drivers July 1,
sporting a $2 million-plus makeover at its
90,000-square-foot facility.
The rejuvenated
business, which is operating under a new ownership group
aiming to appeal more to corporate and adult race fans,
is headed by partners Prime Time Amusements, of Miami,
landlord E.J. Plesko & Associates and national go kart
track developer Bill Mulder. Their strategy is to
combine racing with a large video game room, a sports
bar and several corporate meeting rooms - all served by
a 40-member staff.
"A lot of adults
can't afford to get into a race car, and we can provide
that experience for them," Mulder said.
The Fort
Lauderdale facility, located alongside I-95, hosted
go-kart races for about a year as Speed Indoor Racing
before closing its doors in August. That company, which
did not include the facility's current owners, had a
$66,162 state sales and use tax lien filed against it in
January. PrimeTime President David Goldfarb, whose
company supplied the games to the previous operator,
said Speed was a great concept, but poorly managed.
Plesko had a
minority stake in the go-kart operation and brought in
the two new partners after Speed left. However,
Hurricane Wilma in October ruined the roof and the
ventilation system, allowing water to soak the insides
of the building, Mulder said, adding that it took $5
million to repair the damage.
Now that the new
roof is secured, Xtreme is putting the finishing touches
on a new look. The two race courses on concrete have
been replaced by a larger, single course on newly paved
asphalt that is expected to deliver better grip on
hairpin turns. The karts are all new English-made
Bowmans geared to drive between 38 mph and 42 mph, and
can be remotely slowed down.
The larger track
can handle 18 racers, while the old tracks hosted about
five karts each. Unlike before, racers under 16 will
have to take safe driving courses before they are
allowed on the track unless they are part of a group
renting the entire track, Mulder said.
Xtreme is the only
indoor go-kart course in South Florida. There are
outdoor courses at Boomers in Dania Beach and Boca
Raton, in Homestead and Moroso Motorsports Park in
northwestern Palm Beach County.
This fits with
Xtreme's aim to separate itself from the competition
with its amenities. PrimeTime, a supplier of video games
to entertainment complexes like Universal Studios in
Orlando, is stocking the facility with about 150 games.
Xtreme will serve as a showroom and distribution hub,
allowing it to host new and rare games, such as mini
bowling alleys, moving NASCAR racer simulators and
strength-measuring punching bags.
PrimeTime has a
20,000-square-foot warehouse next door, and Goldfarb is
considering doubling his space there to make the game
room at Xtreme among the largest in South Florida.
For the sports
bar, Xtreme will have plasma televisions, pool tables
and games. It will also serve meals and alcohol. All
drivers will undergo a breathalyzer test, according to
company officials.
"Before, you'd
race for 15 minutes and then leave," Goldfarb said.
"Now, you'll have lots to do."
Xtreme also plans
to market heavily for corporate events and meetings, as
it has capacity for up to 250 people in its boardrooms.
The racetrack will
be marketed in tandem with the nearby Inverrary Country
Club, which the partnership purchased two months ago and
is also refurbishing.
"We'd like to have
the same clientele they have here at Xtreme," said
Jordan Ross, who manages Inverrary. "Corporations can
spend the first half of their day racing, and then drive
a few miles to play golf in the afternoon."
The partnership
also has large properties in Chicago and Las Vegas for
which it is seeking permitting to convert into other
Xtreme locations, Mulder said, adding that there are
only 85 indoor go-kart tracks in the United States,
compared with 200 in England, leaving plenty of room for
the national market to grow.
XTREME INDOOR
KARTING
Marketing Manager: Stephanie Shapiro
Web site:
www.xtremeindoorkarting.com
Address: 5300 N. Powerline Road, Fort Lauderdale 33309
Phone: (954) 491-6265
E-mail:
stephanie@xtremeindoorkarting.com
E-mail staff
writer Brian Bandell at bbandell@bizjournals.com.
