Andretti Indoor Karting & Games Celebrates Opening in Orange County
Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs and the International Drive community celebrated the grand opening of the Andretti Indoor Karting & Games on Oct. 17. The attraction is the newest addition to Orange County’s internationally acclaimed tourism district and is the first Andretti Indoor Karting & Games to open in Florida.
“I can’t think of a better place in our community for this exciting and one-of-a-kind attraction to call home,” Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs said in her remarks. “We are honored to celebrate the legacy of the Andretti family and the grand opening of their Orlando location.”
Andretti Indoor Karting & Games was established in 2001 and is headquartered in Georgia with two successful locations in Roswell and Marietta. The company also owns and operates the outdoor Andretti Thrill Park in Melbourne, Florida.
Located within walking distance of the Orange County Convention Center, the complex features multi-level indoor karting, a full-service restaurant and bar, 12 lanes of boutique bowling, more than 120 arcade and prize games, six virtual reality racing simulators, an extreme ropes course and more than 100 HD TVs for sports viewing.
The attraction is expected to bring 400 new jobs in Orange County. The space offers 150,000 square feet of indoor entertainment and a professionally designed multi-level track that was created exclusively for the Orlando location by 360 Karting with the most elevation changes and turns in the world.
During the grand opening ceremony and event, Mayor Jacobs named Oct. 17, 2017 Andretti Day in Orange County. Mario Andretti had a successful racing career, being one of the only two drivers in the history of the sport to win races in the Formula One, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR disciplines.
Andretti’s family launched a successful family motorsports attraction business and Mario Andretti continues to serve as an industry spokesman, a philanthropist and a voice of authority in the field of motorsports.
The Andretti Indoor Karting & Games is a welcome addition to I-Drive and complements Mayor Jacobs’ International Drive Vision Plan to create a vibrant, dynamic and safe pedestrian-centered environment with dedicated transit lanes and sidewalk enhancements for Orange County visitors and residents.
Recognizing the importance of creating a shared vision for the International Drive Area, Mayor Jacobs appointed a Steering Review Group (SRG) composed of I-Drive-area stakeholders and landowners who are committed to maintaining I-Drive as the world’s premier global destination for tourism and family entertainment. The SRG was tasked with crafting a comprehensive and cohesive plan for the Study Area along with implementation strategies and tools for consideration by the Board of County Commissioners (BCC). The I-Drive 2040 Vision was accepted by the BCC on November 3, 2015. Some aspects of the Andretti Indoor Karting & Games were built to the standards of the I-Drive 2040 Vision code.
With hundreds of world famous retailers and restaurants, thousands of stunning hotel rooms and contemporary resorts, dozens of family-oriented attractions and entertainment complexes, I-Drive accounts for a significant portion of Orange County’s robust travel, tourism and hospitality sectors. Orange County is home to more than 1.2 million residents, and welcomes more than 68 million visitors annually.
Featured Photo: Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs (center) with the Andretti family at the grand opening Andretti Indoor Karting & Games on Oct. 17. Photo credit: Andretti Indoor Karting & Games
