Shoreham Yards Velodrome Proposal Recap

A six-day international bicycle race got underway at the

Minneapolis Auditorium in 1936. Star Tribune photo from 

Minnesota Historical Society archives

In the 1920s and ‘30s Minneapolis was a regular stop on the Six Day bicycle racing circuit, with races held at the old Minneapolis Auditorium. MN Cycling Center (MNCC) would like to return the city to its cycling glory days, with a proposal for an indoor velodrome and event center located on 18 acres in Shoreham Yards, adjacent to Central Avenue NE.

Jason Lardy, president of MNCC, presented the non-profit’s vision for a bike-oriented sports center at a community meeting at Columbia Manor on Oct. 8. In addition to an indoor velodrome, a BMX track, event center, outdoor plaza incorporating the historic Roundhouse and retail spaces would be part of the overall concept. The organization sees the location at Shoreham Yards, in the heart of Northeast Minneapolis, as an ideal location to attract youth to their educational programming as well as to draw upon the history of transportation centered in that area. The large turnout of 70+ people for the meeting offered some indication of the interest this proposal has generated.

Lardy and his partners expect that the facility would carry a price tag in the neighborhood of $40 million and that if the plan moves forward, construction would be completed in 2017. They have not yet entered into negotiations with property owner Canadian Pacific, but wanted to present the idea to the public to gauge the community’s interest and potential questions and concerns first. For further information about MNCC and their proposal, visit www.mncyclingcenter.org.