Friday, 29 March 2024
FeaturedInfrastructureNews

Welsh Extreme Sports destination to be part of £425 million Circuit of Wales spend

The Extreme Sports Company is plotting a 336 hectare multi-purpose sports and leisure destination at The Circuit of Wales.

Announcing the plans, Alistair Gosling, the Chairman and CEO of The Extreme Sports Company said that his firm’s plans for Ebbw Vale in Blaenau Gwent will breathe life into the area and provide countless jobs and retail opportunities. A £425 million spend is touted for the development of the area.

Gosling said of the launch: “This combined offer is the largest privately-funded infrastructure project in Wales and through unrivalled access to leisure and outdoor activities, state-of-the-art innovation zones and a world-class motorsport facility, it is estimated to attract 750,000 visitors a year. It will tap into the £4bn ($4.91bn; €4.69bn) UK entertainment and leisure sector, delivering significant revenues and attracting visitors from beyond the traditional motorsport world.”

UPDATE: The project may however hinge on the proposed motosport racetrack being given the thumbs up. 

According to plans leaked ahead of the build there will be plenty to get bike riders salivating, including a variety of mountain biking trails, a skate park and ‘mega ramp’ and other BMX attractions.

Furthermore, riders will be encouraged to stay a while with hotel and camping facilities on site, as well as restaurants, bars, a live music stage and numerous other outdoor activities.

The far-reaching Extreme brand will use its multi-media channels to drive the visitor numbers toward the anticipated three-quarters of a million expected. The Extreme Sports Channel, available to 68 countries, as well as 80 events annually will be key to promotion.

As many as 16,000 jobs are hoped to be created for the region, as part of a wider South Wales Valleys Region Task Force goal.

Once complete, it is expected that the development will be worth as much as £50 million to the Welsh economy per year.

Martin Whitaker, CEO of The Circuit of Wales, added: “Our partnership with Extreme underlines the unique range of activities, facilities and services the Circuit’s enterprise cluster will offer Wales and the UK. The Circuit aims to provide much more than a racing facility; it will be a 365-day leisure and business destination. The support we have received to date from the racing, automotive and investment communities – including MotoGP which has a global audience of just under 300 million people and reaches over 200 countries worldwide and companies such as TVR who are relocating to Wales – emphasises the Circuit’s long-term role in boosting tourism, creating jobs and diversifying the local economy”.