Today, global athletic leader New Balance announced the launch of The TRACK at New Balance, a new world-class multi-sport facility where Team New Balance, professional and community athletes will train and compete year-round. The grand opening event today will celebrate the intersection of style, sport, and culture with a special performance from brand ambassador Jack Harlow along with appearances from Storm Reid and several New Balance brand athletes. Poised to break records, the athletic center will include a dual terrain indoor track that can be converted to a field, flexible basketball, soccer and volleyball courts, a sophisticated Sports Research Lab, the Roadrunner music venue operated by Bowery Presents, and a Beer Hall named Broken Records where visitors can take in the action happening throughout the facility.
Located across from New Balance’s global headquaters at Boston Landing , The TRACK at New Balance joins the Auerbach Center — the official practice facility for the Boston Celtics, the Warrior Ice Arena — the official practice facility for the Boston Bruins, and the Boston Landing MBTA commuter rail stop as the premier destination for sports in New England. The development of Boston Landing including The TRACK at New Balance speaks to New Balance’s long-standing commitment to Boston’s Allston-Brighton community and the brand’s continued investment into world-class sport innovation and excellence.
“Fifty years ago this month, Jim Davis purchased New Balance and together with Anne, they have led the tremendous growth of our brand into the global athletic leader we are today, while still maintaining our unique company culture,” said Joe Preston, President & CEO of New Balance. “Jim also had the bold vision to completely transform the area around our global headquarters in Boston into a vibrant world-class sports hub for athletes and fans including the debut today of The TRACK at New Balance. The TRACK at New Balance offers the optimal training and performance venue for athletes of all abilities while driving New Balance innovation and technology insights through our new state-of-the-art New Balance Sports Research Lab.”
In designing The TRACK at New Balance, maintaining valuable sustainable practices was very important. Not only did New Balance redevelop a brownfield site in order to build this facility that ultimately obtained a LEED Silver certification, but the roof houses a solar array of 2,491, 405-Watt modules that will cover approximately 72,956 square feet (or 1.67 acres).
The team of Beynon Sports Surfaces, Weems Mechanical, Elkus Manfredi Architects, John Moriarty Associates, and Paige Design Group designed and built the indoor track for speed, competition, and daily training. The track itself features hydraulically banked turns, the widest allowable oval lanes at 42 inches wide and the maximum number of 6 oval lanes. As a result, runners experience a smooth transition from turns to straights and help maximize athlete acceleration.
Sports Research Lab
The New Balance Sports Research Lab is a team of Sports Scientists situated within innovation. There are 3 pillars of Sports Research Lab work, these pillars include 1) New Balance Athlete Insights Engine, 2) Foundational Research, and 3) Innovation Partnerships. With the data collected at Boston Landing, the Sports Reasearch Lab is able to obtain standardized athlete movement and interview data with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment that lead to innovative products and experiences for New Balance consumers.
“When we first started discussing The TRACK at New Balance, we wanted to ensure that we could create a destination for the community at Boston Landing, as well as design a space where the New Balance Sports Research Lab could take their work to the next level,” said Jim Halliday, President of New Balance Development Group. “This facility and all of the high-tech equipment it houses allow the New Balance Sports Research Lab team to increase their surveys with athletes and enhance technology throughout our products.”
The TRACK at New Balance has over 19,000 square feet dedicated to the New Balance Sports Research Lab. Outfitted with high tech imaging, 360-degree motion capture equipment, force plates that measure foot depression, a state-of-the-art hyperbaric chamber and more, the Sports Research Lab further solidifies New Balance’s position as a leader in sport innovation and technology.
Roadrunner
Nestled below The TRACK at New Balance is Roadrunner, a 50,000 square-foot concert venue operated by the Bowery Group – the largest of its kind in New England. With a 60-foot-wide stage, over 30 speakers, and half a dozen bars sprinkled on all sides, the place is built for perfect views no matter where you are on the floor.
To learn more about The TRACK at New Balance, visit thetrackatnewbalance.com.
