KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
The Saugus Speedway, the home of the beloved swap meet, is in the process of being sold to a set of commercial and residential developers.
The 35 acre Saugus Speedway on Soledad Canyon Road is in the process of being sold to Shadowbox Studios, a premium operator of purpose-built soundstage facilities and Integral, a home builder/developer.
If the sale of the Saugus Speedway goes through, it would be the end of the beloved swap meet that vendors of all types have attended since 1963, according to Doug Bonelli, the owner of the Saugus Speedway, who spoke exclusively with KHTS Radio.
“I know our shoppers and vendors are concerned, but this isn’t going to happen fast,” Bonelli said. “In all likelihood, the swap meet will be there for at least a year. Sorry to see an old business like that wrapping up. It’s really sad. Jeanne and I loved running the swap meet.”
The sale of the Saugus Speedway has not been finalized, and must go through a public hearing and approved by the Santa Clarita Planning Commission before it is a done deal.
The application that the City of Santa Clarita received, is for a multi-use permit, according to Patrick Leclair, a senior director of the city.
The developers of Integral and Shadowlake Studios submitted a request to approve 318 residential units on the eastern side of the Saugus Speedway and six 11,000 square foot sound stages on the western part of the property.
No exact date is scheduled to begin discussing the proposed plan by the Santa Clarita Planning Commission, but could start by the end of summer or beginning of fall, Leclair said.
If the plans fall through, Bonelli plans to keep the swap meet going.
The History Of The Saugus Speedway
What is now the Saugus Speedway first started out as a ranch and rodeo grounds in 1924 owned by cowboy movie star Hoot Gibson, according to the Saugus Speedway’s website.
In 1937, the rodeo grounds were sold to William and Mary Bonelli, Doug’s parents, and renamed Bonelli Ranch Stadium.
Rodeos continued for a short period before they eventually built a 1/4 mile dirt track, the website continues.
Bonelli Ranch Stadium was home to numerous events, showcasing midget cars and hot rods (roadsters), according to officials.
Later, the track was expanded to 1/3 mile, paved, and its name changed to Saugus Speedway, and its race car history began.
The Saugus Speedway grew and became a popular weekend destination, much as the rodeo grounds did before it. The paved track enabled the transition to stockcars, which was the primary race event through 1995, until the races stopped due to the decaying grandstands.
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A landmark of Saugus. We love the people that sell there. It will be a big disappointment to see this historical landmark get taken away.
dozrboss@yahoo.com
Selling a beloved landmark in the town & heart of SCV… for hardcore money?? Greed will always win, Everyone. R.I.P. Saugus Speedway. I will always remember you… always.
At first I thought this might be an early April Fools joke. Can’t believe this. Where am I going to get/buy my underwear now?
Wow…. wrote a comment this morning & it’s already deleted. Maybe THAT is why people don’t see any to no comments on any of your articles. I wonder how many comments are deleted on the daily on this website. Solution: Get rid of the “leave a reply” because it’s going to be deleted anyway.
That’s why I stopped commenting on here. Every time I post something, they are monitoring it for days. Thank goodness Musk took over Twitter. The only place left for free speech.
Is that area environmentally clean for housing? Isn’t it next to the old Bermite toxic site? Maybe I’m wrong.
Sound stage and Apartments next to a railroad track? Way to think that through . I live over by bouquet by SHS and can hear the train . Even eating at Del Taco the train is loud .
That is my thought too – those trains travel through the area several times an hour, I did live in San Fernando 4 blocks from the the train tracks and the Metro station on Hubbard for 14 years and I could hear those trains blowing their horns at the crossing just fine – even in the dead of winter with all of the windows and doors closed. It took me almost 3 years to be able to sleep through the night with the trains running. Its much quieter in Acton but on a good day I can still hear the train horns at the crossing at Soledad Cyn. We are about 4 miles away form there.