Part conference center, part amusement park and part driving school, Grand Prix New York in Mount Kisco is banking on the appeal of motorsports to thrive in Westchester County.
The facility had an official opening ceremony last week and marketing director Nat Mundy said the facility is already attracting interest.
“We have events already booked for the summer,” he said.
Grand Prix New York is a 120,000-square-foot facility off North Bedford Road with two 24-foot-wide, quarter-mile-long racetracks that are linkable to create one half-mile-long track for special league and endurance races. Other features include conference rooms and board meeting facilities, a business center, special events services, a gourmet restaurant and a bar and lounge.
Mundy believes the facility is an ideal location for all-day corporate events, meetings, and team-building exercises.
The facility will also be open to the public during nights and weekends. Before signing up for a race, visitors will view an eight-minute video on driving preparation and safety. Plasma screen televisions are placed throughout the facility that state what time each race is starting.
And while patrons can enjoy the bars and restaurant, there will be a “no tolerance policy” regarding drinking and driving, Mundy said.
“If you have even one drink, you can”™t race,” he said.
The gasoline-powered indoor racing karts can reach up to 45 mph.
It also offers driver training programs to teach children, teens, and adults the necessary skills to become safe, skilled drivers and racers, Mundy said.
Yury Lyalko, Grand Prix president, said this is the only facility of its kind in the New York metro area and likely to draw customers from a wide area.
“The response has been tremendous, we are very excited,” he said.
He said the facility is one of the largest meeting and event centers in Westchester and Southern Connecticut.
He said Grand Prix will also help with charitable causes by hosting semi-annual events as well as satellite fundraising activities. For example, in March, it will be the site for Northern Westchester Hospital”™s annual gala.
Also, he said, Grand Prix participates in carbon offsetting ”” funding renewable energy projects that counterbalance the carbon emissions output by the facility.
The organization will offset 110 percent or more of its carbon emissions by investing in renewable energy projects and efforts, according to the company.
