The 2023 Reno Air Races will be the last one held at the Reno-Stead Airport (KRTS).
In an “Open Letter to Our Loyal Fans,” the Reno Air Racing Association Board of Directors reported that after nearly 60 years of air racing in northern Nevada, 2023 will be the last National Championship Air Races at KRTS.
“While we knew this day might eventually come, we had hoped it wouldn’t come so soon,” officials said. “Citing the region’s significant growth amongst other concerns, the Reno Tahoe Airport Authority has made the decision to sunset the event.”
The letter acknowledges that “for so many around the world, Reno has become synonymous with air racing and it is hard to imagine the National Championship Air Races gracing any other skies than those in the Sierra Nevada.”
“However, we are committed to finding a new location so that the event can continue,” officials continued. “In fact, we are currently exploring several other possible locations to host the event in the future but it starts with making this year’s event the biggest and most successful it can be. In essence, the future of the National Championship Air Races starts now.”
“As we take off for one last time in Reno, we are inviting the community and race fans from all over the world to join us in sending the Reno Air Races off in style. Consider it a celebration of six decades of thrills, history, pageantry, camaraderie and family.”
The last National Championship Air Races in Reno will take place from Sept. 13-17, 2023.
The 2023 event is set to return with more than 150 planes and pilots, as well as the third year of competition for the STOL Drag, “which has become a phenomenon in the skies,” race officials noted.
I think closing down the Reno air races is a big mistake! I don’t think they can find another city that could meet the requirements for good racing and a city that could be as fun as Reno. This will be my 57 th year attending Reno (I missed the first one) and will miss attending the races dearly!!!
Don’t let the Reno Tahoe Airport Authority blow smoke up your ass! They simply want to sell the land they own around the nine mile course for further development and more homes which is the last thing this area needs. Shame on them for doing this . They are absolutely FUBAR!!!
May I suggest you look at Big Springs, Texas. It is 30 miles Northeast of Midland and has an 8800 ft runway and elevation of 2573 feet.
Texas is a very aviation friendly State and still has wide open spaces for events like the Air Races. Try it on and see how it fits.
Flyingfrenchman
May I suggest you look at Bid Springs, Texas. It is 30 miles Northeast of Midland and has an 8800 ft runway and elevation of 2573 feet.
Texas is a very aviation friendly State and still has wide open spaces for events like the Air Races. Try it on and see how it fits.
Flyingfrenchman
Consider Wendover, Nevada. It’s the AFB where the B-29 Pilots trained to drop the big bombs to end WW2.
As a Pilot local to the Reno area, I have watched over the past four years the building of housing developments closer to and now right up to the airport perimeter at the south entrance. While the Reno Mayor and Council state the races will be missed, they are the ones that allowed for the development of the encroaching housing. Just like the mess they are making of downtown development. Big money feeding their election coffers. Trying real hard to become Reno, CA.
I would hope some place like Walnut Ridge or Newport AR would be in the running as potential future hosts. Both are former WWII AFBs with huge amounts of ramp space and multiple runways surrounded by flat farmland.
History repeats – airports get built out in the boonies because land is cheap and there’s nobody to complain. Over the years, houses get built because that land is cheap, businesses are established to service the residents, and eventually, the tail wags the dog and the airport is now a “noisy, dangerous nuisance.” Further, now that the area is developed, the land is valuable and cities start coveting the big, sprawling useless-to-them airport property for redevelopment to the “highest and best use” (i.e. most taxable value).
Eventually the airport gets closed (like Denver) and a new airport gets built way out in the boonies where the land is cheap and there is nobody to complain.
Repeat – but it takes some time.
OUR problem is that GA airports get squeezed out (like Santa Monica) and don’t get replaced or relocated because the value of GA to a community is unappreciated. They all want airline service (and complain about the noise), but GA gets ignored because they think GA is just expensive, annoying toys for rich playboys.
Some smart city or chamber of commerce is going to welcome what used to be the Reno Air Races and they’ll make a fortune on it for 30 or 40 years, at which time, that cheap land out in the boonies where nobody lives to complain about the noise will get developed, and the air races will be looking for another home again.
Suggest the organizers consider KISO, Kinston, NC, home to the Global Transpark, a long but not very busy runway.
Very smart! Excellent
Remember when Rockford Illinois was not
Reaching out to assist Poberezny and
EAA ?……big mistake…..HUGE! HUGE
MISTAKE Rockford…
Oshkosh is a jewel in the Crown of Aviation
The Reno Air Races will find a new home
HUGE HUGE MISTAKE
RENO!!
Sad. I think its a big mistake.
Fire the Airport Board and Reno Air Race Board the Casino will happily take over the event. These jerks are idiots. They think ripping millions from the community is ok. B.S. stupid people stupid is as stupid does.
Every one who has moved in out there new about the air races that included all the businesses I do not think that Reno and all of us can afford to lose the races you built a airport our in no where land and right away people move in and complain about the noise and the danger so now some other town is going to get the millions of dollars and the greatest of the Reno races SO SAD