Go Kart Courtside: Advancing amusement in eastern Dhaka
United Group is launching the country’s second go-kart arena. From 21 January onward, people can enjoy this outdoor recreational activity
In a concrete jungle like Dhaka, recreation is usually limited to the mesh of fancy restaurants. Scope for adventure or outdoor recreational activity is barely available and greenery is mostly considered a luxury.
In order to counter this situation, a new project named 'Go Kart Courtside' has come to life.
Located in Madani Avenue, United City, just beside Chef's Table Courtside, this project is a motorsport road racing zone, operated with open-wheeled vehicles, popularly known as a 'Kart.'
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After Xtreme Racing in Ashulia, Go Kart is Bangladesh's second kart racing platform, and that too within the city.
This sport is one of a kind fun activity that brings people from all walks of life together with one common thread - the love for adventure.
The project has been engineered and developed by United Group, and a dream project of Moinuddin Hasan Rashid, Chairman and Managing Director of United Group, who likes to think out of the box.
"Of course, Go Kart Courtside is one of our commercial projects and we intend to make it financially viable, but we have a greater purpose to serve with this project.
United Group is dedicated to designing a quality life for the people, providing them with the joy they deserve," added Sheikh Md Faruk Hossain, Director, Sales and Marketing, United Property Solutions Ltd.
The cheapest package is the single race that costs Tk500 for a ride. A single race concludes at three laps on the track which adds up to a distance of about 1.3 kilometres.
The project will be launched on 21 January 2022, Friday.
Logistics, location and promises
Even though kart racing is a sport intended mostly for adults, Go Kart Courtside will facilitate amusement for all. For children, they have set up a bumper car zone. There will also be a restaurant and a retail shop on the premises.
"We wanted to make it a place for all age groups; hence, we are trying to add more facilities and features. Our infrastructure is carefully designed [also] for corporate bookings as a large number of corporate individuals come to play sports at Courtside on a regular basis," added Faruk Hossain.
The location of this particular project has a strategic importance in the expansion of eastern Dhaka. United Group believes that United City in east Dhaka is going to be the next big thing in the country.
The establishment of this whole project covers a total area of approximately 4.7 acres, including a scaled-down circuit of 460 metres; which is the longest track in the country.
To make the sport more exciting, there is a plan to add interesting gamification modules such as 'Hall of Fame,' where a leaderboard will show the names of top racers who have the shortest lap time. There will also be tournaments where the best racers and teams will compete with each other.
Go Kart will initially start their operation with 12 karts, and a dedicated team of about 15 people. Three of them will continuously monitor the strategic points and wave warning flags to prevent accidents. In addition, there will be medical facilities for emergencies.
Made by Honda engines, all the karts are imported from abroad.
Go Kart Courtside aims to ensure the highest possible safety features for the riders. To enjoy this sport, riders will have to go through a series of safety protocols.
Prior to racing, riders will be guided by professional instructors and will be provided with a flyer highlighting the racing zones, rules and regulations. The riders must also sign a waiver form, and wear a helmet and the racing tracksuit provided by the authority at all times while on the track.
And riders also have to strictly maintain the Covid-19 safety protocols. Moreover, the Go Kart authority will hold the power to ban any player for rule violation.
Anyone above 15 years of age can enjoy the ride, but a minimum height of five feet is mandatory. Go Kart will offer five different packages, including single race, race with friends, team race, corporate member race, and race with family.
There are also plans to introduce year-long membership cards in four categories (Carbon, Platinum, Gold, Silver) for loyal customers, which will include discounts in rides, as well as discounts for certain restaurants in Chef's Table Courtside.
As of now, the biggest challenge of Go Kart Courtside is to reassure people about their services since many people have trust issues with local services and safety protocols.
However, since customers are already happy with the services of the courtside sports zone and Chef's Table Courtside, the management of United Group is confident that Go Kart Courtside will be the next big attraction for adrenaline-seekers.
