EXTREME SPORTS complex planned for South Wales

A £425million 336 hectare site near Ebbw Vale in South Wales will include mountain bike trails, BMX park and a skatepark amongst other extreme sports.

The Circuit of Wales and The EXTREME Sports Company, a pioneer of action sports around the world since 1999, have today announced plans to develop a world-leading sports, leisure and entertainment destination at The Circuit of Wales, the £425m, 336 hectare multi-purpose infrastructure project located in South Wales, north of Ebbw Vale in Blaenau Gwent.

EXTREME’s unique world-class offering which includes a collection of indoor and outdoor action and adventure sports, leisure facilities, a variety of food and beverage offerings alongside retail outlets and themed accommodation will breathe life, regenerate and create new jobs in the local area.

This combined offer is the largest privately-funded infrastructure project in Wales and is the most significant capital investment program in automotive, motorsport and extreme sport infrastructure in the UK within the last 50 years. Through unrivalled access to leisure and outdoor activities, state-of-the-art innovation zones and a world-class motorsport facility, it is estimated to attract 750,000 visitors a year and inject an estimated £50m into the Welsh economy per annum. It will tap into the £4bn ($4.91bn; €4.69bn) UK entertainment and leisure sector, delivering significant revenues and attracting visitors from beyond the traditional motorsport world.

The EXTREME brand reach will be harnessed to broaden The Circuit of Wales’ visitor base via The Extreme Sports Channel (launched into 68 countries around the world), its content rich social media channels, more than 100 global sports ambassadors and its presence at more than 80 events annually. These create a monthly reach in excess of 100 million people globally.

Proposed facilities include Mountain Bike Trails, BMX Park, Indoor Ski, Trampolining, Skatepark, Virtual Reality Zone, Surf Park, Live Music Stages and much more, accompanied by two new hotels and a campsite.

Sitting alongside a world-class motorsport circuit and technology park, the long-term strategic partnership between The Circuit of Wales and EXTREME will contribute to the economic diversification of the region and support the South Wales Valleys Region Task Force target of creating 10,000 jobs. This will enhance the Heads of the Valleys region as a destination for action sports and more broadly support Wales’ tourism and leisure industry.

Reinforced via world leading extreme sports and music events and festivals plus the British MotoGP (the UK’s second most popular motorsport event behind Formula One) it will become synonymous with high-quality events and entertainment worldwide.

Alistair Gosling, Chairman and Chief Executive of EXTREME, said:

“With the growth and interest we are seeing in our sector, it is fantastic to announce this world leading EXTREME Destination, combining a never before seen collection of sports, entertainment and leisure experiences.

Martin Whitaker, CEO of The Circuit of Wales, said:

“Our partnership with EXTREME underlines the unique range of activities, facilities and services the Circuit’s enterprise cluster will offer Wales and the UK. The Circuit aims to provide much more than a racing facility; it will be a 365-day leisure and business destination. The support we have received to date from the racing, automotive and investment communities emphasises the Circuit’s long-term role in boosting tourism, creating jobs and diversifying the local economy”.