Hampton Downs tenders close today

[Shaun Harris]

EDIT haha The tender closed today a year ago! You are a sharp cookie Scott


Any one got any idea of how much they are looking for the sale of the track

[scott411]

Any one got any idea of how much they are looking for the sale of the track

they hope to get a bit more than they owe the bank, which is rumoured to be more than 30 mil,

[Shaun Harris]

they hope to get a bit more than they owe the bank, which is rumoured to be more than 30 mil,



wow, best of british to them. I see they also are looking for investors as an alternative to sale and I wonder if there is a ROI that would justify some one doing such a thing as they say the track is booked out for up to 330 days a year and would this generate enough income to satisfy the investor/s

[skippa1]

Any one got any idea of how much they are looking for the sale of the track
We could all put in 5 buck and a bag of chips each

[Grubber]

Dont get me wrong i do like the track, but i have recently been on Highland Park in Cromwell and Hampton is way short of being a great track compared to that.
Get this, only one guy owns Highland Park. How good would it have been to have his money in HD.
Just sayin!

[scott411]

Dont get me wrong i do like the track, but i have recently been on Highland Park in Cromwell and Hampton is way short of being a great track compared to that.
Get this, only one guy owns Highland Park. How good would it have been to have his money in HD.
Just sayin!

the owner (Tony Quinn) was in negotiations to buy Hampton Downs as well, but pulled out an carried on building Highlands,

[buggerit]

I cant understand why they built it on a peat swamp, I would have thought somewhere with a good clay base and close to the railway
would have been good as far as ease of build, ongoing maintainance and public access if you want a good day out and maybe a few drinks

[Shaun Harris]

I cant understand why they built it on a peat swamp, I would have thought somewhere with a good clay base and close to the railway
would have been good as far as ease of build, ongoing maintainance and public access if you want a good day out and maybe a few drinks








The site base perturbs me also

[Shaun Harris]

Dont get me wrong i do like the track, but i have recently been on Highland Park in Cromwell and Hampton is way short of being a great track compared to that.
Get this, only one guy owns Highland Park. How good would it have been to have his money in HD.
Just sayin!





I like the look of Highlands park also, but many a rider has said they think as it is, it would currently be unsafe for motorcycles? what is your oppinion on this, and please put serious though into your feed back mate

[Pumba]

the owner (Tony Quinn) was in negotiations to buy Hampton Downs as well, but pulled out an carried on building Highlands,

As I understand it Tony was in negotiations prior to purchasing the highlands site and consents. The reason he didnt get involved in Hampton was that all the current owners wanted was someone to write a cheque and leave them to it, which is not Tony Quinns style.

THe current owners of Hampton Downs are too emotionly attached to the track so unless they get what the want, or the bank forces the issue (which they may have already) I cant see much changing.

[scott411]

As I understand it Tony was in negotiations prior to purchasing the highlands site and consents. The reason he didnt get involved in Hampton was that all the current owners wanted was someone to write a cheque and leave them to it, which is not Tony Quinns style.

THe current owners of Hampton Downs are too emotionly attached to the track so unless they get what the want, or the bank forces the issue (which they may have already) I cant see much changing.

having had some dealing with the Managemnet of Hampton Downs over a motocross track they were talking about putting in there, you are 100% correct,

[scrivy]

Any one got any idea of how much they are looking for the sale of the track

Prime Minister, John Key, visited Hampton Downs 26 June 09 for an extensive look at the Motorsport Park and drove a circuit of the track.

Mr Key spent 90 minutes talking to Tony Roberts and staff at Hampton Downs and was very interested in the concepts and potential of the Motorsport Park.

Driver training at the circuit and the use of the skid pan is of particular interest to the Government, especially after yesterday’s announcement of the horrific costs ($450 million per year) of motorcycle accidents in New Zealand. From a Motorsport perspective, it was simply great to have our top man take an interest in our sport that has such great potential for tourism and bringing money into the country by hosting international events at a world class venue.

Everything is coming together nicely at Hampton Downs. The attractive lifestyle blocks are completed, with two new roads, Chris Amon Drive and Graham McRae Place being constructed. The flush kerbs and post and rail fencing give quite a lift to the rural landscape and several purchasers are designing new home-stay and lodge accommodation.
Finances are a question that many people ask and we are very pleased that BNZ continues with its ongoing funding for the project. BNZ have just confirmed funding for a further $19 million which will see an operational international circuit, bridge, corporate pavilion, SUV course, skid pan, pit paddock, telecommunications, power, wastewater, drainage, car parks, three-laning of Hampton Downs Rd, industrial buildings, Business Park development etc.
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The last paragraph.... how'd they get on with that????

Creative accounting to get a bank loan - it was never going to work.
You need over $4000 a day just to pay the interest on the loan of $30 mil. Then there's all the overheads...... it was doomed before it began at that cost.
But a great photo op with the PM!

[Pumba]

I went to a number of the open days while the track was underconstruction and talked to Tony Roberts several times. IT became clear pretty quickly that he didnt have a clue where the money was coming from to finish the track.

Lwts face it, building a business park in the middle of nowhere with the expectation that people would comute from either Auckland or Hamilton was never going to fly. Not when thier is so much comercial and industrial land avalaible on the outskirts of both those centers (you know where the people already live). It was only going to work for those companies that wanted to use the track EVERY day (that is of course when the could around booking that no doubt took priority).

Getting into a pissing fight with Motorsport NZ has not helped there cause in terms of potential revenue either.

The garages/comercial space and apartments that were ment to be built on the straight after turn one were another folly. Pay me your deposit and we will get right on to building them as soon as another 10 people do the same. Tony Quinn had the better model. Build it and they will come, then we can charge a shit load for the pleasure.

THe Hampton downs team had big dreams and I congratuate them for what they have achieved. But it was/is a house of cards that is funded on goodwill. Sure the GFC has not help as the suger daddies that were ment to come play have got less, but I fail to see how it was ever going to end up in any different situation to the one it has right now.

[HenryDorsetCase]

I like the look of Highlands park also, but many a rider has said they think as it is, it would currently be unsafe for motorcycles? what is your oppinion on this, and please put serious though into your feed back mate

My understanding is that Mr Quinn does not like or want motorbikes on his track, and it hasnt been designed to be safe for bikes. I don't recall ever seeing a photo of a bike on or anywhere near the track.

[Shaun Harris]

Sadly for the current bank loan contract owners, it does look like there is a morgagee sale coming in the very near future

[Shaun Harris]

My understanding is that Mr Quinn does not like or want motorbikes on his track, and it hasnt been designed to be safe for bikes. I don't recall ever seeing a photo of a bike on or anywhere near the track.






Interesting

[scott411]

Sadly for the current bank loan contract owners, it does look like there is a morgagee sale coming in the very near future

if the bank thought they could have got their money back from doing that, it would have been done years ago,

[sil3nt]

My understanding is that Mr Quinn does not like or want motorbikes on his track, and it hasnt been designed to be safe for bikes. I don't recall ever seeing a photo of a bike on or anywhere near the track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtzO_u4dgLc

[Grubber]

I like the look of Highlands park also, but many a rider has said they think as it is, it would currently be unsafe for motorcycles? what is your oppinion on this, and please put serious though into your feed back mate

It is definitely unsafe for racing as such.
We did a track day there last month under dispensation and i would say there was 50% of the track had good run off and the rest was debatable. Through the forest the sweeper has a 1.4m concrete wall around the outside, so not good for when you crash obviously.
Aside from that the track is friggin amazing. 4.8km long on the full track and all sorts of combinations to be had. Nice and fast and tons of grip.
What it did remind me of was a fully finished Hampton Downs. All the gardens and landscaping was done and all the buildings were immaculately presented. Fabulous place to be fair and really amazing track.
It is a shame it hasn't been built with bikes in mind as the track itself is perfect.

[budda]

I like the look of Highlands park also, but many a rider has said they think as it is, it would currently be unsafe for motorcycles? what is your oppinion on this, and please put serious though into your feed back mate

Shaun, I visited "unofficially" while Commissioner and had a drive round with the guy in charge of building it ( a bike nut himself ) just before it was sealed ........

GREAT track, would be awesome to ride around, but no way is it safe to run a meeting on - purely and simply because it IS exactly what the man writing the cheques wanted, up to the latest CAR specs.

Whether he likes bikes, I have no idea - I seriously doubt a confirmed petrol-head as he is would deliberately build something unuseable for OUR purposes ...... face it, WE didn't factor into his equations, and realistically who can blame him

There is ZERO runoff in places where we need it - because the barriers that what the track was designed to cater for are there. Sad truth, but factual.

The whole complex is a great testament to what one decision maker can achieve with a vision and a whole lot of money - if this had been a Club situation, they'd still be arguing over the FIRST CORNER

Any rider who gets the chance should get out there and do a lap or 10 - just respect the limiting factors and you'll ride away with a BIG grin on ............

[HenryDorsetCase]

if the bank thought they could have got their money back from doing that, it would have been done years ago,

Yes. Plus they use the owner as a sock puppet so they stay away from any tax implications and so as not to depress the market price.

[HenryDorsetCase]

[Youtube vid]

I stand corrected...

[scrivy]

they hope to get a bit more than they owe the bank, which is rumoured to be more than 30 mil,

Pfftt.... that's only about $60,000 per MNZ road race licence holder.... then about another $30,000 to finish it off.....

Let's do it!!! :facepalm:

[Grubber]

the owner (Tony Quinn) was in negotiations to buy Hampton Downs as well, but pulled out an carried on building Highlands,

Thats correct. The offer at Highlands was one he couldn't refuse so to speak.
He started off in a partnership with 4 others and slowly but surely he ended up 100% ownership.
He has done an amazing job.

[Grubber]

I stand corrected...

You were correct for the most part but we were allowed special dispensation to ride there.
It certainly wasn't designed for bikes in mind though.
I doubt very much they would ever be racing full on there either.

[scrivy]

You were correct for the most part but we were allowed special dispensation to ride there.
It certainly wasn't designed for bikes in mind though.
I doubt very much they would ever be racing full on there either.

Sweet, if bike riders are pussies, then the Chair teams will be there.... :shutup::innocent::facepalm::corn:

[budda]

Sweet, if bike riders are pussies, then the Chair teams will be there.... :shutup::innocent::facepalm::corn:

Excellent - Darwins theory at work .........

[GD66]

Proven...:rolleyes:

[gjm]

Hampton Downs was built almost as a hobby, with initial investment and management by two people - Tony, and Chris Watson. The story at the time was that they were unable to get track time at Pukekohe, so built their own track.

Sales of (lifestyle) blocks of land and the trackside apartments was supposed to provide extra money to invest in the track and facilities. Looks like it didn't quite work out the way it was planned... Certainly there is massive scope for significantly more commercial development... Having spent time heading south from Auckland for work, I would certainly prefer to do that than try to commute into the city. The businesses that are there appear to be pretty busy.

I suspect the costs of running and maintaining the circuit have exceeded expectations. The initial loans weren't huge, and a significant (from my perspective, at least) amount of money came directly from Tony and Chris. This personal involvement is why it will have proven hard to 'let go'... It was their baby, and they want to see it to grow. Difficult to do that if someone else is pulling the strings.

Perhaps Mr Dotcom would like to help out?

I've heard the track at Cromwell is a good 'un. Living in TK I find Hampton Downs is a little more convenient. ;)

[HenryDorsetCase]

Perhaps Mr Dotcom would like to help out?
;)

Ask the New Zealander of the Year after Friday - he might get some of his quick cars back after then.

Having said that any car would be slower with him in it vs a normal sized human. Not saying he is a moon of Endor or anything but he is 6 ft 5 and rather chunky.

[scott411]

Hampton Downs was built almost as a hobby, with initial investment and management by two people - Tony, and Chris Watson. The story at the time was that they were unable to get track time at Pukekohe, so built their own track.

Sales of (lifestyle) blocks of land and the trackside apartments was supposed to provide extra money to invest in the track and facilities. Looks like it didn't quite work out the way it was planned... Certainly there is massive scope for significantly more commercial development... Having spent time heading south from Auckland for work, I would certainly prefer to do that than try to commute into the city. The businesses that are there appear to be pretty busy.

I suspect the costs of running and maintaining the circuit have exceeded expectations. The initial loans weren't huge, and a significant (from my perspective, at least) amount of money came directly from Tony and Chris. This personal involvement is why it will have proven hard to 'let go'... It was their baby, and they want to see it to grow. Difficult to do that if someone else is pulling the strings.

Perhaps Mr Dotcom would like to help out?

I've heard the track at Cromwell is a good 'un. Living in TK I find Hampton Downs is a little more convenient. ;)

this is mostly Like i have heard it as well, and since it was not really planned that well in a commercial sense there are some issues, one of the main reason the v8's wont go there is that there is no commercial contracts with the apartments, meaning the v8 supercar group can not make any money from them, or even stop other people from making money off their investment,

[Shaun Harris]

was there not some talk a while ago about building a small sealed race track at Hampton downs also, or have I miss herd the facts?

[puddytat]

was there not some talk a while ago about building a small sealed race track at Hampton downs also, or have I miss herd the facts?

Nah Bro, someone is going to build one at Tapawera near Nelson.....

http://www.centralmotorsport.org.nz/home

[Pumba]

I was told at one stage that area "A" on my attachment was going to be a kart track. I have also been told by a poor misguided fool with bigger dreams and less money than the HD owners that somewhere in area B was going to be a speedway track and that they were going to build him a jet sprint track in the centre of it so him and his mates could race.

If they cant finish the international circuit, fuck all point looking at anything else.

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[Shaun Harris]

I was told at one stage that area "A" on my attachment was going to be a kart track. I have also been told by a poor misguided fool with bigger dreams and less money than the HD owners that somewhere in area B was going to be a speedway track and that they were going to build him a jet sprint track in the centre of it so him and his mates could race.

If they cant finish the international circuit, fuck all point looking at anything else.

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That is a lot of land mass those fellows own

[Shaun Harris]

Nah Bro, someone is going to build one at Tapawera near Nelson.....

http://www.centralmotorsport.org.nz/home










No international Airport near there that works for my dream goal

[sharp2183]

I like the look of Highlands park also, but many a rider has said they think as it is, it would currently be unsafe for motorcycles? what is your oppinion on this, and please put serious though into your feed back mate

I'll throw my opinion on Highlands in here (from a bike perspective)...

Better than Levels (fairly average track), probably better than Teretonga, worse than Ruapuna (which gets my vote for best track in NZ).

This is considering just the track, and not the additional facilities which were immaculate. There is no doubt that this is NOT a safe track for bikes. I'm one of those riders that got into track riding due to a serious crash in the family, and when I see road-like dangers on a racetrack I struggle to enjoy it/ride fast. If you are the type that is happy to take this risk and ride like a sunday road racer, then you would love this track.

Beautiful surface, challenging corners and general layout, but zero run off and plenty of walls.

Run a few race meetings here and you would probably get a death or serious injury at least. That was what we decided when we chatted about the track at the end of the day.