"Daytona Rising" Project Rolling Along

Daytona International Speedway has shifted its focus to race-ready preparation for the 52^nd Anniversary of the Rolex 24 At Daytona and Budweiser Speedweeks 2014. Construction activities related to the DAYTONA Rising project will continue during this time.  However, the Speedway’s main goal is to accommodate and entertain hundreds of thousands of race fans during its premier events in the early part of the year.

“We are proud of the progress thus far on the DAYTONA Rising project and equally excited to welcome fans for the start of the 2014 racing season,” Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. “They will get an up close and personal look at all the progress we’ve made to date and hopefully, they will share in the excitement that we’ve felt since the groundbreaking in July.  Our partners at Barton Malow and ROSSETTI have put us in a great position to continue momentum for the DAYTONA Rising project while preparing the facility so we can deliver unforgettable experiences for our loyal fans during our marquee events.”

Among the activities now underway is the relocation of the merchandise store building pad outside the frontstretch, setting up the hospitality village and Budweiser 1876 Club, building temporary suite tower lobby and temporary ticketing trailers, mobilizing the Americrown temporary kitchen, Admission Gates relocation completed and ticket scanning systems tested, as well as paving within the construction site to support fan access and pedestrian traffic.

Projects completed since the last update in December include steel installation near the middle bowl section of the frontstretch grandstand, installation of the first slab on the metal deck (first elevated concrete pour) and completion of pile cap installation.

DAYTONA Rising is a $400 million reimagining of the legendary speedway. Five expanded and redesigned entrances, or “injectors,” will lead fans to a series of escalators and elevators, transporting them to three different concourse levels. Each level features spacious social areas, or “neighborhoods,” along the nearly mile-long frontstretch. At the conclusion of the redevelopment, Daytona International Speedway will have approximately 101,000 permanent, wider and more comfortable seats, twice as many restrooms and three times as many concession stands. In addition, the Speedway will feature over 60 luxury suites with track side views and a completely revamped hospitality experience for corporate guests. 

The project is expected to create 6,300 jobs, $300 million in labor income and over $80 million in tax revenue, will be completed in time for the 2016 Rolex 24 At Daytona and DAYTONA 500. DAYTONA Rising was recently cited as a key source of expected job growth in Volusia County as part of the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.