Cross section of the MARC (there’s
a velodrome in there somewhere.

The City of Portland recently ended its call for concepts to redevelop the Memorial Coliseum. There were 80 different concepts received — ranging from a world class bowling arena to “a museum that celebrates the bygone era of the automobile.”

Among the concepts, there are two that include a velodrome. One of them was proposed by Steve Brown; the racer, business consultant, and velodrome activist we’ve covered since back in 2006 when he worked a velodrome bill through the State Legislature. That effort ultimately stalled out, but Brown’s enthusiasm for bringing bicycle track racing to Portland is still going strong. [Read more…]

Velodrome backer Steve Brown and Jay Isaac with the Trail Blazers see potential for a velodrome at this location.
–Google Map here–

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As the Mayor’s Office puts the pieces together on a process to re-think Memorial Coliseum, the idea to install a velodrome inside the building remains a front-runner.[Read more…]

Rendering of a bicycle velodrome on upper tier of Memorial Coliseum by Jeff Mitchem of Ankrom Moisan Architects

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Steve Brown sees a new opportunity
to build a velodrome in Portland.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Remember Steve Brown? He’s the independent businessman-turned-advocate who has spent the last two years trying to get a new velodrome built in Portland.

After taking his vision for a velodrome public in December of 2006, Brown admirably worked his idea through the legislature in Salem. He made some major progress, and his “velodrome bill” was even expanded by enthusiastic lawmakers to include facilities throughout the state. It ultimately got stalled in a committee and never became reality, but Brown has not stopped working toward his vision.

I caught up with him at the Get Together event near his home in Multnomah Village on Tuesday night and he shared more about his latest idea. [Read more…]

Police Officer Robert Pickett (in jacket, left)
was one of about 50 who showed
up for our second monthly Get Together
event last night.
(Photos © J. Maus)

I think this “Get Together” idea just might have some legs. I honestly did not expect many people to show up, but I was very pleasantly surprised when about 50 people came out to the Lucky Lab in Multnomah Village last night just to talk bikes.

You don’t hear about it as much as inner southeast and other neighborhoods closer to the city, but there is clearly a big, pent-up demand and lots of energy for biking in outer southwest. The turnout last night — both in quantity of people and the quality of the conversations — was a testament to that.[Read more…]

Steve Brown of the Portland
Velodrome Project hoped to build
a temporary rack at the Oregon
State Fairgrounds in Salem.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Supporters of a new velodrome on the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem suffered a setback last week when State Parks officials said they would not provide funds for the track.

The original proposal was to spend $130,000 to construct a temporary, wood-frame and plywood track to be housed in the Pavillion Building.

Steve Brown — a Portland-based businessman velodrome advocate who has been working on this project since last September — was already deep into the planning stages for events he hoped would begin at the Fair this summer. [Read more…]

An architect has submitted a proposal to
build a velodrome inside this building
on the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem.
(Photo courtesy Oregon State Fair)

Back in September I shared the news about a potential new indoor velodrome coming to the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem.

Now it seems like plans are moving forward and Oregon just might host bicycle track racing at the State Fair as early as this summer. Steve Brown, a track racer and head of Portland Velodrome, says noted velodrome architect Peter Junek has submitted a proposal to Oregon State Parks for the construction of a portable velodrome inside the Pavillion Building on the State Fairgrounds.[Read more…]

The Oregon State Fair Pavillion building
is being considered as a location
for a new velodrome.
(Photo courtesy Oregon State Fair)

Imagine being at the Oregon State Fair, chomping on a plate of fried food, and hearing a packed crowd erupt in a thunderous roar as track racers fly by on the way to a thrilling finish.

Earlier this month, a group of track racing promoters met with the Director of Oregon State Parks Tim Wood and took a step toward making that vision a reality.[Read more…]

Senator Jason Atkinson (R-Central Point)
testifies on behalf of S.B 926,
while Steve Brown looks on.
File photo: 3/29/07

Senate Bill 926, which seeks to use $3.5 million in state lottery funds to build three new velodromes in Oregon, is stalled on the desk of the Ways and Means Committee.

The bill is awaiting referral to a subcommittee, but so far Ways and Means Committee Co-Chair Mary Nolan (D-Portland) has not passed the bill along. The reason? She has not heard from enough supporters of the bill, and has some reservations about using state lottery funds to pay for velodromes.
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