Pop! sssss... High winds bring down Lexus Velodrome

**Lowell** · December-14-21, 10:51 AM

"The Lexus Velodrome in Midtown Detroit collapsed Monday and its inflatable dome was severely damaged following a power outage and the failure of its backup generator.

"The indoor cycling racetrack, 601 Mack Ave., survived the weekend's gusty winds, only to deflate early Monday once the backup generator failed to kick in during the outage."
https://freep-mi.newsmemory.com?publ...ad6e15_1346032
Name: Lexus-velodrome.jpg
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Name: Lexus-velodrome.jpg
Views: 816
Size: 103.7 KB

The velodrome opened in 2018 and was a nearly $5 million project financed entirely by a wealthy anonymous donor who grew up in metro Detroit, moved away to California and later Colorado, where he fell in love with cycling.

**bartocktoo** · December-14-21, 02:39 PM

I hope it is repaired/re-inflated soon because it's been a nice add to Midtown/DMC campus and I like how it looks from the freeway.

Also, this is one of the best names for a topic/thread I've seen on here.

**Richard** · December-14-21, 04:49 PM

Sounds like a job for flex seal tape ….

That’s the thing about back up generators,people let them sit there and never test them regularly,the only time they fail is when you need them.

**MikeM** · December-15-21, 08:47 AM

So it really wasn't wind damage, it was a power outage.

Meanwhile, the former MAC Dome at Mack and Marseilles did collapse from wind damage on Saturday.

**Danny** · December-15-21, 02:01 PM

It's time for Lexus and whoever made this blimp-odrome to make a real velodrome out of steel and concrete.

**stasu1213** · December-19-21, 11:07 AM

Why not inflate it back up already! This was due to neglect. Probably! deliberate neglect being that the dome wore the Lexus name on it and not of one of the Big 3s name.

**401don** · December-19-21, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

Why not inflate it back up already! This was due to neglect. Probably! deliberate neglect being that the dome wore the Lexus name on it and not of one of the Big 3s name.

Yes. I agree. Those foreigners donated money for naming rights only and, even though they had nothing to do with the operation of it, deliberately let a power outage and high winds bring down the dome. Spot on!
P.S. There hasn't been a Big 3 for many years.

**stasu1213** · December-21-21, 05:58 AM

Originally Posted by 401don

Yes. I agree. Those foreigners donated money for naming rights only and, even though they had nothing to do with the operation of it, deliberately let a power outage and high winds bring down the dome. Spot on!
P.S. There hasn't been a Big 3 for many years.

High Winds did not cause the deflation of the dome. The area had many power outages since the dome and been inflated in 2017 or so. Why is it still laying deflated after two weeks?

**Zacha341** · December-21-21, 06:29 AM

^^^ I drove by it this weekend and noted that as it collapsed some of the internal hard structures pierced/ speared thru the soft inflatable materials.

It will take more than a simple re-inflation to restore the domes integrity.