Motoring into Dayton

Reno has one, so does Fernley. Now Dayton could be next to get its own motocross track.

The Dayton Valley Events Center Board is working with the Lyon County Department of Parks and Recreation to build a motocross track on land owned by the board, southwest of the Rodeo Arena.

Besides a motocross track, board members are also proposing an amphitheater for concerts and weddings; a pavilion in the vein of Carson City's Fuji Park; a Boy Scout campground site; horse trails and a historic wagon tour that would wind by turn-of-the-last-century charcoal kilns.

The need is there, according to Tom Snodgrass, chairman of the events board. "Nearly everyone who lives out here owns a motorcycle or ATV," Snodgrass said. "Motocross has become a glaring issue."

Right now, options remain limited for riders. In May, Landmark Homes closed off the Bowl, a 40-acre stretch of desert popular with motorcycle and off-roading enthusiasts.

Without a safe place to run, riders frequently venture into government-owned land and cause a nuisance. "Everywhere they're running is illegal," Snodgrass said. "The (Bureau of Land Management)" - the federal agency that manages government land - "gets mad. and folks complain about the noise. We want to create a safe place to ride that is supervised."

The track could be completed within six months, depending on the level of public support, said Parks Supervisor Jannette Hoffert. "The timing is right," she said. "They're about to close a lot of private lands," where riders like to roam.

"The beauty of it is that it takes little funding" to build a track, Hoffert said, provided people are willing to donate and volunteer. "We'll need to fence it in, and we'll need some sort of dirt control. But basically it's a matter of moving dirt. It's one of the easiest things you can do.

"You don't need buildings or permits. You just have to bring in a few portable restrooms," Hoffert added.

The events board is also negotiating with the Bureau of Land Management to have 450 acres of government land available to it, should the need arise.

Snodgrass said entry fees would pay for maintenance and upkeep. As far as seed money, he said, "There are several grants available to us. There is also the county." But as Hoffert pointed out, county funding is limited.

Yet Snodgrass hopes that selling the naming rights of the rodeo arena and donations from private businesses will pay for building the track.

"We have the land, hopefully the know-how' and the ability to raise money," he said.

He remains confident his venture will succeed. "We took over the rodeo arena and turned it from a losing proposition into breaking even."

If the adage "the squeakiest wheel gets the grease" holds true, then Snodgrass is headed on the right track. "I have a very squeaky wheel," he said.

The events board is seeking public comments on the proposed motocross track. It meets at 4 p.m. Tuesday in the Dayton Utilities Building, 34 Lakes Blvd. The public is invited. For information, call the parks department at 246-6227.

n Contact reporter Dan Moreau at dmoreau@nevadaappeal.com or 887-2430 ext. 351.

Motocross in Dayton

The public is invited to comment on a proposed motocross track that would be built southwest of the rodeo arena.

What: Dayton Valley Events Center Board meeting

Where: Dayton Utilities Building, 34 Lakes Blvd.

When: 4 p.m. Tuesday

Call: 246-6227