LORAIN, Ohio — Since its time as the city dump in the 60s and 70s, the former landfill on Lorain’s east side has been capped and reclaimed by nature.
Four hundred acres, known as Cromwell Park, have been largely untouched by developers. But bicyclists, runners and wildlife enthusiasts frequent the trails and wooded areas for recreation.
“It’s a really wonderful stopover location for migratory birds,” said Rob Swindell, the president of the Black River Audubon Society.
Swindell first spoke to News 5 in March 2023 after creating a petition against a proposed motorsports complex.
Despite nearly 2,000 petition signatures, city leaders approved the project, and developers officially broke ground on the Lorain Ohio KartPlex (LOK) this week.
“Motorsports in the U.S. has been the fastest growing sport as a whole,” said developer Kris McCrone, the owner of Ohio Motorsports Park Real Estate Holdings LLC (OMP).
He told News 5 he had been pursuing another location for the go-kart racing complex when he was approached about redeveloping the brownfield in Lorain. The first phase of the project will focus on 37.5 acres and will feature two outdoor tracks, including one for professional competition and an indoor track with electric racing karts.
In addition to the racetracks, the complex will also include a restaurant, brewery and event space. The Lorain mayor believes it could also attract a go-kart-related manufacturer to the area.
“This really will become probably the first facility that will have all aspects of what we’re offering,” McCrone said.
Swindell said the development plans don’t ease his fears about wildlife impact.
“We said from the beginning that we weren’t opposed to the racetrack. We were just opposed to putting it here,” he said.
McCrone contends the project was largely informed by an environmental impact study. He said special care was paid not to disturb a blue heron rookery and the design will feature public trails for visitors to enjoy nature.
Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley said racetrack pavement will also lock in harmful gases from the landfill. He said the study found overgrown foliage risked penetrating a clay cap on the former dump, which could cause chemicals to leak into the nearby Black River.
“The racetrack goes on top of the landfill cap. It actually makes it more secure,” Bradley said.
The mayor also addressed concerns raised by Swindell over the developer’s financial record.
“It’s taxpayer money. The government’s job is to do proper risk management,” Swindell said.
Court documents show McCrone had been sued in 2016 for not delivering on a business deal to install a wind turbine for an Ohio couple.
“The number one condition for this project to go forward in the city of Lorain was to have that lawsuit settled,” said Bradley.
The case was officially settled earlier this month. Bradley said the Lorain Port and Finance Authority is providing an additional layer of oversight for the project, and $2 million in pandemic relief ARPA funds will not be available until the developer uses $8 million in private funds.
“We’re dealing with taxpayers’ dollars and we wanted to make sure they’re being spent wisely, and yet bringing something exciting to the city of Lorain. And we did that,” the mayor said.
McCrone said, “Everything’s been disclosed. Everything’s been taken care of to satisfy that. I can’t go backwards, I can only go forward.”
The Lorain Port and Finance Authority told News 5 by phone that it believes the project is “financially sound” and a “good investment for Lorain.”
McCrone hopes phase one of the project will be finished by spring or early summer 2025, and LOK will be able to host its first race by May or June 2025.
