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Indoor Kart Racing Facility Could Ride Into Cinnaminson

Site plans will be submitted to the zoning board next week.

 

In March of 2012, Cinnaminson could be the home of Speed Raceway, a state-of-the-art indoor kart-racing center.

Next week, Kimco Realty Corporation will testify before Cinnaminson Zoning Board officials to ask for a variance and site plan approvals to start building.

Cinnaminson Committeeman Anthony Minniti, director of economic development, said Speed Raceway was one of the original interested parties when Vanity Fair closed. Speed Raceway is slated to occupy that former building on Route 130 near Riverton Road.

The retail business is suffering in this economy, Minniti said, so it was not a feasible option for a store such as Kohl’s—a longtime rumor in town—to open here so soon.

“What this provides is more of a family entertainment option for Cinnaminson and the surrounding communities that isn’t currently available anywhere else,” Minniti said.

Speed Raceway currently operates in Denver, Colorado. According to its website, the Denver location boasts European-style kart racing, conference rooms, arcade games and a concession area. The karts are entirely indoors and operate electrically. There is a barrier system for protection and two safety operators on hand. The conference rooms in Denver are equipped with a projector, screen, flip charts and more and there are rooms for birthday parties, too.

A zoning variance is needed since a raceway facility with an arcade in a business development district is not a permitted use. The site plans, as they are now, feature an indoor racetrack with concessions, conference and meeting spaces, a retail area, and an arcade area in about 85,000 square feet of vacant space in the shopping center.

The hearing is also expected to yield answers to specifics about the business including safety concerns, building timelines and more.

Cinnaminson Zoning Officer John Marshall said officials have expressed an interest in opening in March.

“It’s a pretty intense thing,” Marshall said. “I’m pretty excited about it. There’s nothing like this anywhere in the area. It will definitely make Cinnaminson a destination.”

Marshall also said in conjunction with the application for the raceway, there will be a site plan submitted for improvements to the exterior of the entire shopping center.

It’s Minniti’s hope that when Speed Raceway would open, it would attract other businesses to make their homes in the shopping center—like at the shuttered ACME space next door.

“With the addition of this and Sonic, we’ll be able to entice another tenant to the center,” Minniti said. “It gives us that option to try to create a center of offering we don’t have.”

The impact to the township is twofold. A new tenant of this size would add a considerable amount in ratables for Cinnaminson and also, bring in more people to the township.

“It’s going to bring people to the corridor that may not have normally been there,” Minniti said. “Whenever you encourage new and unique visitors to the corridor, that serves as a magnet for other businesses.”

The hearing is scheduled during Cinnaminson’s regular zoning board meeting at 7:30, Wednesday, Dec. 7 at the Cinnaminson Township Municipal Building.

  • Do you like the idea of an indoor kart racing center opening in Cinnaminson?

    (Voting has been closed for this question)
    • Yes, it sounds great
        228 (79%)
    • No, not a good idea at all
        59 (20%)
    Total votes: 287
  • Your vote will only count once. This is not a scientific poll. View Results Vote!

Sarah

6:18 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011

That sounds like such fun. If it opens my family will be there.

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FbS

6:28 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011

wonderful idea!!!!! We go all the way to Arnolds in Oaks pa to ride them and soon we will be able to right down the street!! Great idea!

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Deborah Hilton

8:02 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Sounds like a great idea to provide some much needed family-oriented activity close to home. However, I would urge the township to conduct an intense study on the impact of traffic in that area. With the Hibachi Grill drawing big crowds and the addition of a Sonic drive-thru at that location, traffic could be a dangerous nightmare with only one entrance/exit onto Riverton Road and one onto Rt. 130. If that issue can be resolved, the Speed Raceway would be a wonderful addition to our community.

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Jackie

9:51 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011

There used to be a similar entertainment complex on Fellowship Rd near Rt 73 in Mt Laurel. I believe it was an outdoor track, but I cannot recall the name of the place. It might prove useful to the board to visit Mt Laurel PD and inquire as to their call history, if any, at the facility. It might give some indication as to what to expect regarding traffic, etc.

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Ross Chatham

9:59 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Malibu was the name of the karting place, Jackie :)

CBJ

9:57 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011

What a great idea. It would be nice for the town to have a unique family friendly attraction. I hope all goes well.

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Ray Budden

10:09 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011

I love it! Kudos to Speed Raceway for considering Cinnaminson. Now we have Hibachi, Sonic, and a possible Indoor funplex to enjoy in what was a barren zone. I remember walking in to Vanity Fair and you generally had more employees than customers, they had that giant parking lot with 5 cars out front. This is fantastic news.

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Amy

10:18 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011

What a great addition to our "getting better every day" Route 130 corridor!

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FbS

10:55 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011

The old Malibu Grand Prix was very different. Outdoor, gas powered and much larger cars. These are electric go karts. Very fast ones..

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Ric

11:05 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Oh good, this will make the violence that comes for a few days with St Charles festival every spring seem like child's play. The Clover Square center will become known for Minniti's greasy Sonic, the all you eat Asian-disaster and coming next the Thug Raceway. I thought that the Willingboro Plaza was dead. It is coming alive at Clover Square.
Well, at least the police station is nearby.
I tip my hat to Minniti. He is not happy at homes in Cinnaminson losing only 26% of the value in the last five years - the second highest in BurlCo. He wants our homes to lose even more. For those that disagree with me, please be sure to mention how you feel about Cinnaminson having the second highest housing prices in the county. Willingboro had the highest.
Hey, if we are lucky, the Raceway will subsidy the cost for the added police presence they will require.

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taxpayer

8:30 am on Thursday, December 22, 2011

Shame Acme went out of business, what with the giant Shoprite opening down the road (didn't see THAT coming..). Hey, if we are lucky, we can work off the extra 3000 calories from the Asian-disaster shielding our neighborhood from the outside world.

Ken Miller

11:10 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011

WOW, I think this is a very cool project and im sure the kids and even big kids like me will enjoy this!!!

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kas

11:32 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011

What a great business to have in town!

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Michele

4:20 pm on Tuesday, November 29, 2011

At first blush, it seems like a cool idea. The more I think about it ~ not so much!

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Michael Makinson

8:34 pm on Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Love that positive can do attitude there Rick. I think the Burlington County Footlighters are casting for a Scrooge. It could be your big break!

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AnoninCinna

8:36 pm on Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Sad state of affairs in CinnCity when the best they can do is a go-kart track. This will be a complete disaster. It's like putting the Funplex in a residential neighborhood. Not a good choice at all. I give it 3 years tops.

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Karl

8:38 pm on Tuesday, November 29, 2011

The arcade in the picture looks really sweet. Reminds me of the old Cook's arcade except they had like 5 machines.

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Steven Napoliello

9:34 pm on Tuesday, November 29, 2011

It could synergistically, with Sonic and the Hibotchi Grill, lead to more business establishments in that mall. Although, much needed for the residents of Sweet Water is a grocery market. Steve N.

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Laurie

6:46 am on Wednesday, November 30, 2011

I do not see this as a family attracting, but a teen and older attraction. Hopefully, it won't atract the wrong element and become a hang-out. I agreed that there will need to be a greater police presence in the area.
I can think of a few others more family oriented attractions better for all ages, like bowling. Then our hs bowling time could have real home games and bring that business to town.

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Steve M

12:24 pm on Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Good news for that empty retail area. I agree we need to monitor and make sure Speed Raceway is a good fit for this town and keeps from becoming a hang-out trouble spot.

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Ross Chatham

11:09 am on Thursday, December 1, 2011

This is the kind've place we've needed for a long time. I hear all the time about how our kids/teens complain there's nothing to do in Cinnaminson itself. Malls, bowling, mini-golf... all of these things Cinnaminson has lacked. Hopefully this will be a nice in-town place for our youth to go and and stay out of the trouble having nothing to do can sometimes cause.

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Cinnaminson Resident

12:51 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011

Horrible idea. Sweet Water residence are not happy.
Can't we do better then this?

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dajoepa75

1:41 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011

Any thoughts to reconfiguring traffic around the area or widening entrances? That side of Riverton Rd will have the shopping center, future senior housing, library, municipal bldg, school down the road, bank. Adding any new lights, widening road?

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Ric

1:52 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011

Hi Paula, any thoughts to who will be footing the bill for reconfiguring traffic, new lights or widening the roadway? I hope you don't expect Cinnaminson taxpayers to foot the bill when it should be the shopping center's or the Speedway's cost. Of course, just like all the roadwork done for that disaster WalMart, we will be expected to pay.

dajoepa75

2:05 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011

Ric, it was just a question. No side here and no I have no idea. But they did reconfigure where I live when the Shop Rite opened so thought I'd ask the question.
How about you; any ideas how to handle the add'l traffic?

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dajoepa75

2:10 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011

Actually I threw it out there may for the editor or the committee to answer. It would seem that land near Route 90 (?) would have been a good place; lots of space for parking, possible expansion of other participatory activites for our young people. But not sure the issue with the land. I'm just curious how they'll handle the congestion.

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proud resident

8:02 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011

I think it would be a good idea to have a bowling alley in the raceway, it would give something for the older kids to do while the younger kids ride the karts, or even the parents could bowl.

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FbS

11:37 am on Wednesday, December 28, 2011

um, these karts ARE geared towards th eolder kids. They are NOT what you would normally find down th eshore at a boardwalk kart track. These are fast and expensive

cinn city

10:50 am on Wednesday, December 28, 2011

The Acme building isn't in a residential area, Sweetwater is a condo community stuck in a commercial area.

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cinn city

12:47 pm on Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Not sure what kind of business that people want were there is no traffic?

Seems to me Acme could have used more traffic

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cinnares

3:23 pm on Wednesday, December 28, 2011

If you look into the company website, you will see some positive up-side to this idea. If you are under 18 you have to be accompanied by a parent or adult in order to drive, which would keep kids from using this as a place to get into trouble and use it more as a place for local fun and entertainment. Also if you look at the pricing it is not cheap to say the least. 3 races for $50 dollars; I think the pricing alone would keep the bad element out when you can easily go loiter somewhere like a mall for free. It also provides jobs for local teens and young adults outside of the retail and food industries that have risen up in cinnaminson (Ross, Burl. Coat Factory, 5 Guys, Smoothie King), and gives them an opportunity to be part of something new and fun. Just my opinion though, it's just nice to see some action being taken to increase business and stop places like clover square from becoming an empty space.

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FbS

4:04 pm on Wednesday, December 28, 2011

exactly, cinnares. We go to Arnolds in oaks pa and there is no issues there and its the same as what we are going to get.

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Emily

6:03 pm on Friday, May 11, 2012

Well what do you guys expect its in cinnaminson no effence but it won't be great it'll be enough be happy with what you get.

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hussnainali

2:57 am on Friday, August 10, 2012

Well what do you guys expect its in cinnaminson no effence but it won't be great it'll be enough be happy with what you get.

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