Bandimere Speedway owners and the town of Morrison are taking steps toward annexation and commercial redevelopment on 125 acres against Colorado’s Hogback rock formation in the mountain foothills at metro Denver’s southwestern edge.
Instead of hot rods screaming as fast as 300 mph down Bandimere‘s quarter-mile concrete strip, the land is on track to become “a cutting-edge online Vehicle Auction Center.”
Drag racing ended in October after owner John Bandimere Jr. decided to sell the property, saying the track needed more space and ending a 65-year tradition. He has said he hopes to reopen in 2025, perhaps at a site near Denver International Airport.
Copart, a $52 billion Dallas-based corporation that runs auto sales, has entered into a contract to buy the site. Cars, trucks, boats, and industrial equipment declared “totaled” by insurers would be stored and transferred to new owners. About 20 employees would work in a building overseeing sales, according to a May 5 proposal filed with Morrison by the Baseline Corporation on behalf of Bandimere and Copart.
“The area east of the hogback is envisioned for intensive development that would increase the Morrison tax base,” the application said.
Morrison town board members on Tuesday formally accepted the application, submitted by Bandimere, after staffers recommended approval. The board members directed staffers to hold a required public hearing Aug. 6 about the proposed annexation.
The property sits amid more than 2,160 acres of open space in Jefferson County. Bicyclists and hikers flock to trails in the area, including a path along the spine of the hogback above the former speedway. However, “we didn’t hear about the property being available until after it was under contract,” Jefferson County Open Space spokesman Chris Barker said.“There’s nothing we can do about it since they sold it. There’s not much say we have in it.”
Jefferson County’s planning director Chris O’Keefe said annexation would give Morrison control of the Bandimere site, which long has been zoned for commercial activities within the surrounding open space. If Morrison requested comments, Jeffco officials would point out that this zoning allows re-development. “We would also talk about that Front Range foothills backdrop area,” O’Keefe said. “We would certainly remind them about the natural aspects of the property that we hope they’d consider as well.”
Copart officials and Bandimere owners did not respond to requests for comment.
Their annexation proposal acknowledges “challenging topography.” There’s no water service or sewer lines at the site.
Copart has also committed to working with Morrison toward commercial development, including new buildings, on about 20 acres south of the speedway that was used for parking, the application said.
Compared with drag-racing events, the proposed use of the land would bring less traffic, lighting, and noise, the application said. Billboard signs would be removed. “Copart use has limited hours of operation with no weekend traffic,” the filing said, “and vehicle pick-ups are by appointment only” with “limited requirements for water and sewer.”
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Preservation of the hogback terrain is essential, said Steve Johnson, 61, who moved to a Red Rocks Ranch house a mile from the speedway last year, drawn by the trails, neighboring Lakewood’s Bear Creek Lake Park, and the sheer beauty of the natural landscape.
A truckload or two per day hauling in vehicles would have less adverse impact than summer racing events, Johnson said.
“That noise will go down. But the downside is that the activity would be all year round,” he said, noting that he cherishes seeing stars at night.
“If they put a bunch of lighting out there,” he said, “I would be very upset about that.”
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