The Major Taylor Velodrome is an outdoor, concrete

velodrome A velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights. The straights transition to the circular turn through a moderate Track tran ...

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

, Indiana, U.S., named for 1899 cycling world champion

Major Taylor Marshall Walter "Major" Taylor (November 26, 1878 – June 21, 1932) was an African-American professional cyclist. Even by modern cycling standards, Taylor could be considered the greatest American sprinter of all time. He was born and raised ...

. The track with 28 degree banked turns and 9 degree straights. The Velodrome is located immediately north of the Marian University campus and is the home track of the 41-time USA Cycling National Champion Marian University Cycling Team. The velodrome was opened in July 1982 for the

U.S. Olympic Festival The U.S. Olympic Festival was a junior multi-sport event held in the United States by the United States Olympic Committee in the years between the Olympic Games. It was started in 1978 as an American counterpart to the communist Spartakiad – a si ...

. It was built at a cost of $2.5 million. It was a facility required to host that year's National Sports Festival, with money coming from a partnership between the Indianapolis Parks and Recreation Department and the

Lilly Endowment Lilly Endowment Inc., headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, is one of the world's largest private philanthropic foundations and among the largest endowments in the United States. It was founded in 1937 by Josiah K. (J. K.) Lilly Sr. and his so ...

. It was the first building built with public money in Indianapolis to be named after an African American. The proposal to name the facility for Taylor came initially from Tom Healy, a writer for the ''

Indianapolis News The ''Indianapolis News'' was an evening newspaper published for 130 years, beginning December 7, 1869, and ending on October 1, 1999. The "Great Hoosier Daily," as it was known, at one time held the largest circulation in the state of Indiana. ...

'', who contacted Taylor's daughter, Sidney Taylor Brown. The two advocated among the city's business community and Mayor William H. Hudnut. It has played host to many national and international competitions, including

cycling events Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, a ...

of the

1987 Pan American Games The 1987 Pan American Games, officially known as the X Pan American Games, was a major international multi-sport event held in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, on August 7–23, 1987. Over 4,300 athletes from 38 countries in the Americas c ...

;

USA Cycling USA Cycling or USAC, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the national governing body for bicycle racing in the United States. It covers the disciplines of road, track, mountain bike, cyclo-cross, and BMX across all ages and ability leve ...

's Collegiate Track National Championships in 2003, 2010, 2011, 2014, and 2017; and USA Cycling's Masters Track National Championships in 2005, 2013, and 2016. In May 2011, Marian University took over operations of the velodrome property, known as the Indy Cycloplex, which includes a BMX track, mountain bike trails, cyclocross course, and public green space. In the years following the shift in operation, the facility has focused on promoting youth health and fitness as well as the continuous development of the sport of competitive cycling. Weekly and daily programming takes place on the Velodrome from April through September, including a Thursday night race series, the Major Taylor Racing League.

References

Sports venues in Indianapolis Velodromes in the United States 1982 establishments in Indiana Sports venues completed in 1982 {{Indiana-sports-venue-stub

See also

References