Florida Track and Trail closing.

8/8/2019 3:40am Edited Date/Time 8/10/2019 1:09am



My buddy Corey was always out there over the last year and a half, so I think he's being 100% serious.
We've all been hearing news of the closure possibility, but it sure sucks when it actually comes into fruition. I never got to ride there. Share stories or memories of FTT.
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Jack_4196
Posts
253
Joined
7/22/2015
Location
Franklin, MA US
Fantasy
3305th
8/8/2019 4:14am
That’s such a shame, Any reason why?
resetjet
Posts
2379
Joined
3/16/2012
Location
Tampa, FL US
8/8/2019 6:00am
This place was originally just a front to get foreigners green cards. If you invested in it you could get a green card. One thing they did was spend alot of money. I am sure the property will become something else. I believe they only made the mx track because they had craploads or sand from digging the lake and it was a way to make money right away. Such a cool place and such a shame.
4
kkawboy14
Posts
11494
Joined
6/5/2015
Location
TX US
8/8/2019 6:00am Edited Date/Time 8/8/2019 6:02am
Jack_4196 wrote:
That’s such a shame, Any reason why?
Guess:

1) great idea
2) bad business people

I rode there last November, I wasn’t really that impressed
c0ncEpT
Posts
1264
Joined
5/13/2015
Location
Harrison Twp., MI US
8/8/2019 6:12am
I've never been but from every Youtube video I've watched there was hardly ever anyone there.
1

The Shop

tcallahan707
Posts
1826
Joined
4/5/2016
Location
Morrison, CO US
8/8/2019 6:21am
I went once and the operations were just odd. Track was sick though.
8/8/2019 6:38am
I'll throw my "guess" into the ring. Some big eastern syndicate wants to develop the property and made them an offer they couldn't refuse. You know - houses, apartments - that sort of thing. In spite of my proximity to the place, I never made the trip so I don't know how rural it is. I could be completely off base if it is miles from anything.
1
8/8/2019 7:25am
Couldn’t land a pro national or a gp? Nobody booking them for concerts?

Every time I’ve called their phone rang and rang. So...who knows why. Sad.
8/8/2019 7:34am
Place was never the same as opening weekend, it was awesome. They continued to go down hill week bye week, no up keep. What could of been who knows. Lack of structure and not listening to it's paying customers is my opinion on why it has failed.
2
Kenny Lingus
Posts
1022
Joined
9/9/2016
Location
Watkins Glen, NY US
8/8/2019 7:41am
Couldn’t land a pro national or a gp? Nobody booking them for concerts?

Every time I’ve called their phone rang and rang. So...who knows why. Sad.
Yup, me too. Two winters in a row tried to go but was closed.
Green card thing seems possible as it seems the track was just a front for something else.
1
Jack_4196
Posts
253
Joined
7/22/2015
Location
Franklin, MA US
Fantasy
3305th
8/8/2019 8:36am
I went in March with a group
Of friends, we are from Massachusetts and saw FTT as a must. Had a blast, loved the “amateur” track. The bar/beach was just a bonus. Too bad, seems like Florida is losing more tracks than opening...
Freddyfred
Posts
122
Joined
3/23/2017
Location
Colts Neck, NJ US
8/8/2019 9:03am
Damn! Just moved away from South Florida but this was absolutely one of the most fun tracks I used to ride. Always well groomed when I was there.
FTT will be sorely missed!
Rickyisms
Posts
4138
Joined
10/5/2017
Location
FL US
8/8/2019 10:38am
Been riding it since they opened. Was great at first but their management turned to complete shit, pricing was ridiculous, gate fee, riding fee, and then a $30 parking fee to park far as hell away from the tracks. Dad would bring his pitter to get from the truck to the track to just watch (He's 60 and ain't as good as he once was) and they would slap him with another rider fee which was another $40 on the day.

Nothing above first gear in the pits, for bikes at least. Quads and side by sides were allowed to do whatever, even after we watched a kid with a PW get mowed down by a shirtless, helmetless guy doing wheelies on a banshee in the pits. Then a big ass Razr is doing donuts next to us and flings a decent size piece of shell right into the door of our truck and leaves a little dent and takes some paint with it, we inform the employees, and I quote "Yeah they can do whatever they want, if we go yell at them they'll just go hide in the trails". Then i pointed out that if you just monitored the pits like you're supposed to, you could prevent any complaints like this. They just argued 4 people tending the tiki bar was a lot more important than people's safety.

They would let goons into the peewee track while a kid with a mini with training wheels was putting around, then the kid would either get the shit roosted out of them or too intimidated to go ride the small track built for them.

The last time I went me and three friends were all dicing it out and we hit the step down together but locked up the brakes quick because there was someone laying in the middle of the track on the bottom of the step down, ten feet away from his mangled bike. The worst part? A flagged was supposed to be on the top of the step down, but instead had headphones on with the windows rolled up in his pickup truck parked off the track. We tried to get his attention but he gave us a quick glare as one of my friends was dragging this unconscious kid out of the middle of the track.

All in all, if the correct people owned it nothing like this would've happened. I know this is an extremely dangerous sport, but when the people getting paid to look out for the safety of you, me, our children, and families would rather scroll through instagram or drink the beer they're supposed to be selling while a child gets run over by a quad or side by side in the pits, You really start to realize why shit like this happens.

I hope someone who actually knows what the hell theyre doing reopens this place, it's a beautiful piece of property with so much potential but such little pride in presentation.
6
huck
Posts
17009
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Mountain Home, AR US
8/8/2019 11:00am
Best way to have a track and end up with 1 million dollars... Start with 2 million!
4
resetjet
Posts
2379
Joined
3/16/2012
Location
Tampa, FL US
8/8/2019 11:58am
Like i said the mx track was not the original idea. They just had a ton of dirt left over. Its way in the middle of nowhere and will likely now just be a redneck resort/campground without the hassle of the motorsports.
2
bayodome
Posts
1122
Joined
12/18/2006
Location
Brooklyn, NY US
Fantasy
4180th
8/8/2019 12:05pm
Rode there once in 2016. Pretty cool facility.
RY9MX
Posts
91
Joined
10/24/2013
Location
Miami, FL US
8/8/2019 12:46pm
EB5 visa gets you a green card for a $500k investment. That’s where the money came from. They probably spent millions moving dirt there. Was an awesome place, but no way was it ever going to have any longevity. With 74 family fun park and lazy springs being so close and being similar facilities, they had some competition as well.
1
crowe176
Posts
6614
Joined
9/8/2006
Location
Spring Lake, MI US
8/8/2019 12:51pm
Drove down from MI this spring and turned some laps. Thoughts are, it was fun, kind of expensive and the Pro track was nuts to the point of being a waste of good track for anyone other than a legit pro (maybe lol) Never saw anyone ride it while I was there. Seemed like such a waste.
Moto520
Posts
3375
Joined
2/4/2013
Location
Schaumburg, IL US
8/8/2019 1:01pm
I went there last year and rode a rental bike. Damn that thing was ratty but it got the job done. I really liked the place and thought both tracks were cool. The main track was a little much but the bigger jumps were tabletops without huge consequences for coming up short. Seemed like the people riding were having a good time. I keep hearing about how it was ran better in the past but i thought it was pretty sweet. The beach thing was good because it gave my wife something to do while i rode.
FLmxer
Posts
6918
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
SouthWest, FL US
Fantasy
989th
8/8/2019 1:57pm





2
kaptkaos
Posts
1087
Joined
11/17/2015
Location
Miami, FL US
8/8/2019 2:17pm
Ive been there many times and although the management had no clue how to run the place, I always had a good time. It will be a shame its lost. If they would have just listened to the customers and spend a lot less money on the monster gravel parking lot you can see from Venus, and more on other things, ESPECIALLY ANSWERING THE PHONE or IG and FB messages they might have made it work. I hope someone takes it over and makes it what it could be. I heard they have a ridiculous amount of money ( 60 mil) invested in the whole place.
245MX
Posts
69
Joined
4/3/2018
Location
GB
Fantasy
782nd
8/9/2019 6:15am
No more cool Jeff Walker videos Sad

1
ab
Posts
190
Joined
1/28/2017
Location
Islamorada, FL US
8/9/2019 12:52pm
I MEAAAANNNNNNN being a local here in south Florida FTT had a few problems:

1. Way too big. The place was insanely big. It would take a mile from the parking lot to ride to the track which is not a problem if you are the one riding but when your not riding its a pain. I would bring a klx 110 to ride from camp to the track to watch my girlfriend and one thing that was kind of annoying was the helmet rule on a peewee bike. Which I understand the insurance side but 95% of the tracks don't really enforce this rule. FTT was a stickler about it which no big deal.

2. 74 is a mile down the road. It is a lot more chill and better track. Everything is within 2 acres and is great because you can watch your partner or friend right from your camp.

3. Tracks were closed way too often.I have been to FTT twice where it would rain the night before and they would not open the amateur track. They would only open the beginner track which is pretty much a peewee track. I would have to pack up everything and head over to 74 and ride there instead
This was a hassle because I would arrive Friday night camp there to ride Saturday and Sunday but the hassle to move after you set up is just a pain in the ass. I mean they would have plenty of time to prep and get the amateur track ready for lunchtime at least but nope, if you asked the staff they would say its closed for the whole weekend.

It is a super nice facility. If they would have kept it smaller instead of 1000 acres I'm sure they would still be in business
ZB93
Posts
103
Joined
7/5/2018
Location
FL US
8/9/2019 1:35pm
Facebook Post from FTT:

It is with a heavy heart that I write this message to all our customers and friends.

Effectively Immediately FTT will be closed, at least
temporarily, until further notice.

Most of you have seen Terry around the Park. He was the vision behind FTT. The man who founded and built this place. Terry was a hard-working man whom loved to play even harder.

To get a project of this size off the ground, financial backing was required. This was not Terry’s strong suit. His strengths were building and running the Park. But, as most of you know, the one who holds the wallet pulls the strings.

As a result, we have come to the sad realization that our legs were cut-off even before FTT’s doors were opened. Since then, we did everything humanely possible to make FTT a success. The echoes of Terry’s big, kind and loving heart will always be here as this place was his life’s dream
come true.

You might hear a million different stories why FTTE so abruptly had to close its doors. I cannot control the rumor-mill, but I can tell you, this didn’t happen due to lack of any effort by my family. We poured all of our hearts and souls into making this place a safe, fun, weekend destination
for everyone. Sadly, not everyone involved shared our dedication, grit and “do what-ever-it-takes” attitude.

Some people found it better to close-up shop when things got tough. So, at this point, all we can do is ask everyone to remember the “good ol’
days” and FTT for what Terry built it to be.

It has been a pleasure to be a part of this venture and I will treasure every friendship and memory created from FTT.

Ride Safe! -Tiffanie Cooke-Cool
1
kkawboy14
Posts
11494
Joined
6/5/2015
Location
TX US
8/9/2019 1:55pm
ZB93 wrote:
Facebook Post from FTT: It is with a heavy heart that I write this message to all our customers and friends. Effectively Immediately FTT will be...
Facebook Post from FTT:

It is with a heavy heart that I write this message to all our customers and friends.

Effectively Immediately FTT will be closed, at least
temporarily, until further notice.

Most of you have seen Terry around the Park. He was the vision behind FTT. The man who founded and built this place. Terry was a hard-working man whom loved to play even harder.

To get a project of this size off the ground, financial backing was required. This was not Terry’s strong suit. His strengths were building and running the Park. But, as most of you know, the one who holds the wallet pulls the strings.

As a result, we have come to the sad realization that our legs were cut-off even before FTT’s doors were opened. Since then, we did everything humanely possible to make FTT a success. The echoes of Terry’s big, kind and loving heart will always be here as this place was his life’s dream
come true.

You might hear a million different stories why FTTE so abruptly had to close its doors. I cannot control the rumor-mill, but I can tell you, this didn’t happen due to lack of any effort by my family. We poured all of our hearts and souls into making this place a safe, fun, weekend destination
for everyone. Sadly, not everyone involved shared our dedication, grit and “do what-ever-it-takes” attitude.

Some people found it better to close-up shop when things got tough. So, at this point, all we can do is ask everyone to remember the “good ol’
days” and FTT for what Terry built it to be.

It has been a pleasure to be a part of this venture and I will treasure every friendship and memory created from FTT.

Ride Safe! -Tiffanie Cooke-Cool
Translation: “somebody got tired of losing money”

They should have aimed a little lower and grow as it grows
oceantrav
Posts
815
Joined
10/20/2015
Location
Tarpon Springs, FL US
8/9/2019 3:09pm
Been back in Florida for 18 months, and 2 hours from there. After seeing they're pricing, had no desire to ever go. Too many awesome tracks north of them.
JLM#144
Posts
75
Joined
1/10/2010
Location
Lakeland, FL US
8/9/2019 7:12pm
The pro track was only ever open a select few weekends out of the year due to their insurance policy. Heard it cost them $6000 a day to run it or something like that. It really wasn't worth the $40 without it imo. Those pro track weekends when the weather was cool and the trails weren't flooded were a blast!
MotoX85
Posts
2199
Joined
10/9/2011
Location
Centralia, IL US
8/10/2019 1:08am
Cant say I didnt see this coming. We go to Florida and ride every winter but usually never travelled that far south. Last year we finally did and when we got there and paid the enormous cost to ride, we were told after paying and gearing up that the pro track was close because they were having a Side X Side even on it and they were prepping for the event and track was closed.

We were not happy and pointed out that their facebook page said it would be open and is the reason we drove the extra 3 hours to ride there. We rode the smaller side track which deteriorated rapidly for a few hours. It became almost dangerous to ride after a couple hours and could see that the entire day they were grooming the pro track for what we assumed was the side X side event. Why you would every let side X sides on a pro MX track is beyond me but whatever.

We tried to make the most of the day, swimming in the lake, playing volleyball basically trying to justify the extra drive to go to this track when all of a sudden about 5 side X sides went out and started ripping the pro track. All except 1 were utility SXS. This pissed about everyone off that after being told that no one was allowed on it because of grooming, now utility SXS were basically tearing the track to shit.

So this prompted about 20 dirtbike riders, almost all from out of state to go off on the manager and basically say that nobody would ever return to the track. Which also started the question of WHY no local MX riders were riding.

What we were told was the owner/operator/managers basically own SXSs and they had been letting all their friends pretty much destroy the pro track and would never open it to actual MX bikes.

Anyway, after about an your of bitching, and 3 destroyed SXSs later (one completely flipped on its head and destroyed the front A arm) they finally let us go ride the track...……...for 20 minutes. And then told us they had to start REPREPPING for the SXS event the next day..

We have never returned and everyone that went with us and the people we know from the St Louis area that went, have never returned.

………...I told the owner/manager/whoever that they would be closed with a couple years. Guess it was just a little quicker.

With that being said, I really don't think they cared, as stated before it was a way for a bunch of people to get green cards at a cost of 500k per person and this was just the way they laundered the money.
1

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