Badlands Motor Speedway for sale following $10m renovation

Update: Badlands Motor Speedway [formerly Huset’s Speedway] is still up for sale with 2018 schedule plans removed

Bedlands Speedway is a premier dirt track facility located in Brandon, South Dakota. It’s a .375 mile high banked dirt track oval built on 80 acres of beautiful South Dakota real estate.

The track first opened in 1954. In 2016, the speedway facility brought 100,000 spectators through the gates. That was an attendance record for the speedway with a seating capacity of 8,300. In addition, it had record car counts.

High-tech and dirt track aren’t phrases commonly used in succession. However, following a $10 million dollar renovation, this dirt track is state of the art. It features a brand new digital billboard, new PA system and a well lit racing surface.

modern dirt track for sale
Modern dirt track for sale

Beyond tech, the track received many other upgrades in 2016. The infield was paved. The grandstands were replaced with brand new aluminum seating. All new concession stands were installed alongside 18 new VIP booths. In addition, a new 3 story tower overlooks turn 4 of the speedway.

The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series visited the newly named Badlands Motor Speedway. The July 2nd, 2016 race was won by Brad Sweet. It was the last time the Outlaws visited the track.

Setting the standard for dirt tracks everywhere, the championship race in 2016 was broadcast LIVE via the local tv market. This South Dakota dirt track was raising the bar for the way a dirt track should operate…

After the 2016 season came to a close, the track was placed on the market. It still intended to run a full schedule of racing in 2017. However, in the early part of 2017 the track closed in the middle of the season.

Badlands Motor Speedway
Badlands Motor Speedway

For 2018, the track announced plans to run a full schedule of events. Those plans were announced in March 2017. However, that was as the track abruptly ended their 2017 season in May 2017.

The 2018 dates (announced in 2017) included the World of Outlaws on June 30 and July 1, 2018. The recent release of the 2018 WoO Sprints schedule shows the tour in Kansas on July 1. Badlands Speedway is not listed on the WoO schedule.

The track website is still listed only as a marketing brochure for the property sale. There’s still no information posted on the 2018 dates. It’s likely the iconic dirt track will remain closed, for another season.

Price
$9,400,000

Badlands Motor Speedway for sale
Badlands Motor Speedway for sale

What happened?

Chuck Brennan bought the property in 2015. He quickly fell in love with the facility. Brennan dumped $10 million in renovations into the complex. Doing great things for the sport of dirt racing, he then went on the schedule a $100,000 to win dirt sprint car race.

Then, it went wrong. You would assume that the property was over-developed. However, that’s not the case. The closure was related to a new law that effected an entirely different business.

Chuck Brennan is the man behind Dollar Loan Center. He founded the company in 1998. The birth of operations began in Las vegas, NV.

In November 2016, a bill was passed in South Dakota that limits all short term lending to 36% APR. Dollar Loan Center adjusted their business model and worked around the new regulations.

It should be noted that they feel they were in “full compliance” with new regulations. However, the state disagreed.

In June 2017, DLC’s lending licenses were revoked by the Division of Banking. They were ordered to immediately stop issuing new loans. In addition, they were also forced to stop collection of payments on previous loans.

Chuck Brennan is now suing the state of South Dakota. He doesn’t have the funding from Dollar Loan Center. He must sell off other assets to hire the lawyers, thus the speedway and other properties have gone up for sale.

The Dollar Center Center continues to operate in Navada, Utah and California. Brennan is “re-evaluating his business presence in the state of South Dakota” and in-turn is selling every property he owns in SD.

Dollar Loan Center
Dollar Loan Center

Properties for sale

Bedlands Motor Speedway
$9,450,000

Badlands Pawn Shop
$9,450,000

Radio Station
$945,000

Radio Tower
$945,000

Badlands Gun Range and Store
$945,000

All of these listings are likely being sold at a loss. The costs of the above properties, following renovations, was $75,000,000 according to Brennan. Together, they provided 400 jobs to the Sioux Falls, SD market.

Huset's Speedway
Bedlands Motor Speedway formerly known as Huset’s Speedway
September 2017 notice from the speedway

The following is an in-detail release that the speedway put out back in September 2017:

“On November 8th, 2016 a ballot initiative passed in South Dakota to limit all short term lending to 36% APR. This measure passed 76% to 24% and ended a 14+ year run for Dollar Loan Center. Customers kept calling DLC seeking short term cash solutions. Dollar Loan Center immediately got to work developing a lending product that would conform with the new law requirements.”

“In June 2017, DLC contacted the Division of Banking fully disclosing the new loan product. In July DLC launched this same product. Customers were excited and grateful. The events that followed were completely unprecedented. On September 13, 2017 DLC was shocked by the reckless actions taken by the State’s Division of Banking. With no advance notice to DLC, the media was alerted that DLC’s lending licenses were revoked by the Division of Banking. Shortly thereafter, DLC received the same written communication that was first released to the media. DLC has been in full compliance with the order to immediately stop lending money as well as stopping collection on all DLC loans. DLC does not agree with the order especially as it regards the ability to collect on previous loans however, compliance is mandatory. We remain confident, along with our entire legal team, in DLC’s compliance.”

“In 2015 Chuck Brennan and his team launched a massive community enhancement project called Badlands. This project included the best Race track and outdoor amphitheater ever built in the Midwest. It included a 70,000 square foot “Pawn Shop” that had a foundry, tattoo parlor, deli, gun range, gun store, concert venue, music department, casino, house band, entertainment group, radio station and retail store. It created the best Rock station ever in Sioux Falls in KBAD with #1 ratings for 18 months in a row. It created a state of the art Gun Store with an indoor 14 lane shooting range allowing members of law enforcement to shoot for free. At costs of over $75,000,000 spent mostly with South Dakota businesses, and providing over 400 jobs, it made a major impact”

“Building off of the success of DLC operations, Chuck was excited to reinvest profits in South Dakota. Badlands Speedway, Gun World, and KBAD remained open as DLC worked to develop a lending product that would allow us to become fully operational so we could continue to reinvest in the community.”

“While we would like to resolve the current issues quickly, we expect that the costs and time constraints of litigation will be considerable. Without the financial support of Dollar Loan Center, and with an unknown time line, we must make difficult business decisions.”

“Effective immediately we are permanently closing the Badlands Entities and putting all of the properties and assets on the market for sale. We owe a great deal of gratitude to our team, the loyal customers, and the incredible number of South Dakotan’s that helped bring this project to life. We are optimistic that we will find some new owners for all of these properties, entities, and assets so that the folks will continue to invest in the economic future of Sioux Falls.”

If you are interested in purchasing the speedway you can email at [email protected]

Links

Badlands Motor Speedway | Dollar Loan Center

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