‘Families, thrill-seekers, and serious drivers’: Get ready for Wahooz expansion
Sick of crawling through rush-hour traffic along Interstate 84 in Meridian? Wish you could go just a little bit faster?
A coming attraction at Wahooz Family Fun Zone along I-84 hints at another way to feed the need for speed. First, get off the freeway.
In its first expansion in a decade, the family entertainment center giant announced it’s adding a new 52,000-square-foot indoor electric go-karting arena. That’s three times the size of its last expansion, and almost the size of a football field.
The building “will feature two high performance tracks with exciting elevation changes, sweeping turns, and dramatic LED lighting,” according to a news release from Wahooz. “A third junior track will ensure a safe, exciting introduction to karting for younger drivers.”
On the fleet of 72 high-speed, “performance-style” karts, drivers will be able to go up to 40 miles per hour, the news release said — probably more than you’d be doing in a sea of brake lights on the interstate nearby.
The attraction “will give families, thrill-seekers, and serious drivers their own tailored racing experience,” Wahooz CEO Pat Morandi said in the release.
Wahooz plans to break ground on the new go-kart center in July and open it roughly 14 months later, around October 2027.
It will be built over the existing Slick Track and batting cages, Wahooz spokesperson Tiffany Watts told the Idaho Statesman in an email. A larger outdoor track, the Road Track, will remain, the release said.
According to Wahooz’s website, the cages are already permanently closed.
The company plans to partner with Slovenia-based track manufacturer 360 Karting, UK cart manufacturer Biz Karts, and Boise-based construction firm McAlvain Companies.
The expansion, which also includes a 3,800-square-foot meeting room for corporate events or birthdays, is expected to come with a “multi-million dollar” price tag, according to the release. Watts declined to say the exact cost.
Once the tracks open, the complex will clock in at more than 134,000 square feet, the release said. It’s the center’s largest expansion since it opened as Boondocks in 1999.
