SPEEDWAY, Ind. -- The city of Speedway is getting some much-needed attention and development, and people living there say they couldn’t be happier to see the construction.
Developers broke ground on the newest development on Wednesday.
The $12 million, 69,000 square-feet Courtyard by Marriott hotel is being built on Crawfordsville Road. It’s the latest project in the big picture effort to redevelop the area near I-465.
Town leaders say the hotel will serve as an anchor for Speedway Marketplace, a 20-acre mixed-use development that is already home to Chipotle and Starbucks.
And because of its location, the hotel is being made uniquely for Speedway, with a racing themed design.
“It’s going to be a little different than some of the other Courtyard by Marriott, and we are excited about the design,” said Speedway Economic Development Director Tim Groop. “It’s definitely going to be an upgrade, and it’s a better brand upgrade than some of the developments that were here in the past.”
Developers say the hotel won't be completed until next fall, but it's just the latest project to break ground in the city.
Last year, developers began work on a $50 million project near Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The development, called “Wilshaw” will include 150 apartments, ten condominiums, a 120-room hotel, 15,000 square feet of retail space and a 500-space parking garage.
And last March, IndyCar team owner Sarah Fisher opened Speedway Indoor Karting and 1911 Grill on Main Street.
With all the construction going on, you would think people living in the small city would be annoyed, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
“It makes it so you stay here to get things versus driving out to Avon or driving into downtown,” said Melissa Bloomer. “It’s a lot more choices for restaurants and things to do.”
Mike Hillenburg grew up in Speedway and says it’s encouraging to see the area rejuvenated with the new construction projects.
“It was on its way down in the late 80s from Lafayette Square, it was going downhill on the west side and Speedway was really going downhill,” said Hillenburg. “It’s amazing that it’s kind of turning around now.”
