Free State Arena: More Than a Velodrome
Lawrence already has a strong cycling community, and the vision for Free State Arena at Beacon Landing could give that community something entirely new.
Dylan Medlock, President of Nomad Trails Development, summed up the excitement in Lawrence’s cycling community:
“We in the Lawrence cycling community are super excited for the opportunity to watch and train with Olympic cycling athletes right here in Lawrence.”
At the heart of Free State Arena is a proposed internationally certified cycling velodrome.
USA Cycling has formally endorsed the effort to build a World Championship-caliber velodrome in Lawrence and is already engaged in ongoing discussions with the project team about the technical requirements for the facility. In an August 14 letter to Mayor Brad Finkeldei, USA Cycling CEO Brendan Quirk wrote that the organization “wholeheartedly support[s]” the effort and identified development camps, U.S. National Team training camps and National Championship events among the opportunities it would be eager to discuss bringing to Lawrence as the project advances.
So, What Exactly Is a Velodrome?
A velodrome is a specially designed track for competitive cycling, with steeply banked turns that allow cyclists to race at remarkable speeds. Free State Arena is envisioned with an enclosed, 250-meter laminated-wood track designed to meet international competition standards.
If track cycling is new to you, video may explain it better than we ever could.
More Than a Velodrome
Free State Arena is being envisioned from the beginning as a multi-sport, multi-event facility, with the velodrome as one of its defining features.
K-10 Development Group is studying modern facilities such as the Vélodrome National de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines outside Paris, where the center area within the cycling track can accommodate other sports and events.
Our goal for Free State Arena is similar versatility, creating the potential for approximately 5,000 spectators to attend professional lacrosse and flag football, along with tennis, volleyball, wrestling, gymnastics, concerts, graduations and other community events.
National Sports Services and Sports Facilities Companies, two professional facility management companies being considered for the arena, have expressed interest in bringing professional lacrosse and professional flag football events to Free State Arena.
Matt Perry of National Sports Services sees that versatility as an important strength of the arena concept:
“The most successful sports facilities today are designed to do more than one thing well. A versatile venue like Free State Arena has the potential to host cycling, tournaments, entertainment and community events throughout the year, creating more reasons for people to come to the facility and more opportunities for it to serve the community.”
Rather than creating a facility around a single sport or type of event, we see an opportunity to create a year-round venue that can serve many different audiences.
Outside the Arena
The current concept also includes an outdoor entertainment area overlooking a roughly ten-acre lake, with space for watch parties, outdoor movies, smaller concerts and community events. Trails throughout Beacon Landing are also planned to connect with the Lawrence Loop.
Designing for the Future
Environmental performance will be part of the design process. Ideas being explored include rooftop solar generation, rainwater capture and reuse, permeable pavement, landscape bioswales, and convenient access for ride-sharing and public transportation.
Free State Arena represents something Lawrence does not have today: a venue designed to combine high-level cycling, multiple sports, entertainment and community events under one roof.
Considerable planning and design work remains, but we are excited about what this facility could mean for Beacon Landing and for Lawrence.
