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CONCESSION CORNER

This month, Peter Olesen, our resident “expert”, answers e-mail questions from readers. If you have any questions or concerns about your facility, please e-mail them to karting@msn.com.

QUESTION: At what speed should we set our karts? – Art Sheldon

Peter Olesen – Art, Each track has its own set of grades and geometrics, specific karts and relative driver skills. Therefore, in setting speeds for a specific track, the average age of the clients, insurance carrier guidelines, kart manufacturer recommendations and related issues should all be taken into consideration. Some manufacturers ship their karts with the governors set at 18 MPH for family track operations and lower for rookie karts. If possible, reduce the speed even further. It is far easier to increase speed on a track than to decrease it. Reducing speed on a track after customers become used to a given speed can result in disgruntled customers and a possible loss of business.

Test drive your track and try to visualize the ability of less skilled drivers to handle the speed you want to set. Not only younger drivers may have problems on a track that is too fast. There are many adults who have never driven a go-kart before. If speeds are too high, you will have an excessive number of spin-outs and traffic jams that result in reduced thru-put (number of rides per day).

It is important to remember that the potential for injury to your guests or damage to your equipment increases greatly with every small increment of speed increase.

QUESTION: We are in a smaller market. How should we determine a single kart vs. two-seat kart mix for our new track? – Sean Carlson

Peter Olesen: Mr. Carlson, many of the concession kart manufacturers have two-seat karts that are not much wider that their single-seat karts. If you find one brand you like, we would recommend purchasing all two-seat karts to avoid the problem of availability during both peak and non-peak hours. This avoids having to move karts around to accommodate customers.

For those who feel they have to have some of each, we would suggest approximately two single-seat karts for each two-seat kart, subject to pit configuration. If possible, have a separate lane for the two-seat karts to avoid operational problems, such as having to move single-seat karts to get access to a two-seat kart.

QUESTION: What elements do you consider in designing a concession track for a given client? – Gerry Harris

Peter Olesen: Good question. Each client and each site are different. The available site configuration, site characteristics (point of access, grade, soils, drainage), planning and zoning ordinance restrictions, impact of additional site attractions, type of kart operation planned, management style and budgetary limitations are all elements taken into consideration in developing specific designs. An experienced design consultant takes each of these into consideration.

Failing to consider each of the above elements can result in creating the wrong track for the wrong market, poor on-site access, excessive construction costs or redesign and reconstruction.

Using the services of a skilled design professional provides the realistic potential to have a better layout, lower construction costs, reduce local agency concerns, start construction at an earlier point in time, create a more marketable facility, increase attendance and reduce maintenance and operation costs.

QUESTION: How can I increase attendance at my go-kart track? – Eileen Casey

Peter Olesen: Without knowing, Eileen, why your track attendance is less than you want, it is difficult to be real specific. However, the following suggestions should help whether you have a new facility or have been around for some time.

1. Review your site. Does it appeal to visitors or drive them away?
2. Review staff personalities and approach to your guests. Establish neatness and friendliness guidelines to govern day-to-day appearances.
3. If you have competition eroding your expectations, consider developing marketing packages that create a more appealing price structure for bundles of rides. Don’t reduce single ride prices unless your present price structure is out of line. A) Check the competition’s pricing and marketing strategy. Adjust your approach accordingly. B) Take note of track design and karts used. You may find if necessary to make revisions to your facility to improve your comparative image.
4. Be creative in your marketing. It isn’t always the amount spent, but rather how you spend it that counts. A) Poll your guests to identify how they came to know of your existence. You may well find that your major spending doesn’t have a viable return. B) Drop any ineffective advertising. C) Set up cross-marketing agreements with other businesses such as theaters, fast food restaurants, part stores, shopping centers, etc.
5. Market to groups such as churches, schools, day camps, community groups, and other local organizations. A) Consider offering discount packages. B) If you have room on your site, set-up a tent or canopy to accommodate group outings.
6. Consider adding minor additional attractions: Kiddie track, Water War, etc.
7. Consider track modifications: Add track length and/or curves, bridges, etc., reverse direction of travel on the track or upgrade your karts.
8. Consider adding major attractions: Miniature Golf, Bumper Boats, etc.
9. Seek ways to attract local media coverage, such as a feature article.

QUESTION: Why do you sometimes develop dual or triple pits for a go-kart facility? – Don Kersten

Peter Olesen: Don, in some instances, the concentration of customers at a given facility creates the need for more capacity or management runs the risk of losing potential sales. Often, the site does not have the capacity for a second track. In those situations, it is possible to create a second bank of pit lanes to accommodate a second group of karts. Under this operating scheme, one group of karts can be making their run on the track while the second group of karts is being loaded. When the first group has completed its run, they pull into their assigned pit lane while the group already loaded is released to make its run on the track.

In using this method, the track operator hasn’t borne the cost of a second track and its required staff. The operator has raised capacity from around eight rides per kart position (the number of kart runs that can be performed per hour on a track without dual operations) to thirteen kart rides per kart position with dual pits.

Our firm has even designed triple pits for the Malibu SpeedZone facilities in Dallas, Texas and Puente Hills, California. These sites were in very high profile locations and extensive population bases. For that reason, they have a need for as much karting capacity as possible (in addition to their triple pit turbo road courses at each site, they also have dual pit slick road courses at each).

At the NASCAR Speedpark located in Las Vegas, Nevada, we designed a dual pit facility for a slick road course with one pit component being single-seat adult karts and the other pit component containing single-seat junior karts for younger children at birthday parties.

We would not advise installing dual pits unless there was an extremely large and concentrated market during extended hours, or the market demand for family and adult or junior karts was large enough to justify dual pitting. Having two tracks would allow a greater potential to sell extra rides and attract more riders.

About the author: Peter Olesen is a Licensed Professional Engineer in 8 states and President of Peter F. Olesen & Associates, 500 W. Central Rd, Suite 205, Mount Prospect, Illinois 60056. For more information, please call 847-253-1515 or fax: 847-253-1532.

END

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