Not since the premier of Happy Days has Milwaukee been stoked for such an occasion: the grand opening of Ray’s Indoor Mountain Bike Park November 12-14. Of course at this point Ray’s name has become synonymous with indoor mountain biking, having opened the original (and IMBA-certified epic) indoor MTB course in Cleveland in 2004. The grand opening festivities in Milwaukee will include a park preview on Friday (no bikes allowed) followed by a celebrity BBQ on Saturday with legends like Cam McCaul, Dave Mirra, and Ross Schnell in attendance. Then on Sunday you can ride with the XC Pros all day or check in during BMX night from 4-10pm with Dave Mirra. Seriously. Here’s a bit from the official press release:
After an extensive search, the location for a second Ray’s Indoor Mountain Bike Park has been secured and Milwaukee-area mountain bikers can now rejoice! The 110,000 square foot former Menards Home Improvement Center is currently undergoing the transformation from empty warehouse to the most exciting indoor mountain bike park the world has yet to behold.
Building upon the success of the our original Rays Indoor Mountain Bike Park of Cleveland, Ohio, Ray’s of Milwaukee will provide cyclists from across the Midwest an unrivaled place to ride, train, and develop their skills throughout the long winter months when local trails are closed or often unridable.
Ray Petro, founder and namesake of Ray’s Indoor MTB Park, had quietly planned the opening of a second Ray’s Milwaukee locale for the past few years. When financing stalled at the last minute, Trek Bicycle stepped in to purchase the business and ensure the continued expansion of Petros indoor MTB park vision.
In case you missed that last little bit, Ray’s is now owned by Trek which is convenient since Trek’s HQ is located less than 100 miles from Milwaukee in Madison. Does this cash infusion mean we may see indoor mountain bike parks popping up in more cities around the world? Let’s hope so!
Get more info about both parks at raysmtb.com.
3 Comments
Nov 4, 2010
Nov 3, 2010
So the question is: is Trek's ownership of Ray's a good thing due to increased funding, or a bad thing due to the massive conglomerate nature that Trek is taking on? First Gary Fisher, now Rays...
I'm conflicted. I like to support the little guys, but Trek always seems to be on the cutting edge of things...
Nov 4, 2010