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Inventory of the Olympic Velodome Collection,
1977-2003
"Consult repository."
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Table of contents
Title: Olympic Velodrome Collection,
Dates: 1977-2003,
Date (bulk): 1980-1988
Collection Number: "Consult repository."
Creator:
Extent:
17 boxes,
3 oversize map case folders,
[9.68 cu. ft]
Repository: California State University, Dominguez Hills
Archives and Special Collections
Archives & Special Collection
University Library, Room 5039
1000 E. Victoria Street
Carson, California 90747
Phone: (310) 243-3013
URL: http://www.csudh.edu/archives/csudh/index.html
Abstract:
Records of the California State University, Dominguez Hills 7-Eleven Olympic Velodrome
include documents, correspondence, news releases, newspaper clippings, press packets,
photographs, and publications such as pamphlets, brochures, booklets, magazines, and
newsletters from the Southland Corporation, the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee,
and the California State University, Dominguez Hills. These items document the planning,
construction and use of the velodrome from its inception in 1977 to its demolition in 2003.
This process is also documented in national as well as local magazines, newsletters and
newspapers, which are part of this collection. In addition there are numerous artifacts
from the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles such as souvenir clothing items, mugs, key chains,
collector pins, , pencils, flags, buttons, bumper stickers, bicycle bells, postal stamps,
ticket stubs, key chains, wallets, postcards, posters, photos, booklets, and program guides.
Language: Collection material is in English
There are no access restrictions on this collection.
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Archives
and Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical
materials and not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
[Title of item], OLYMPIC VELODROME COLLECTION, Courtesy of the Department of Archives and Special Collections. University
Library. California State University, Dominguez Hills
The items in this collection were obtained or generated from private donors, the CSUDH Foundation and archives.
Collection re-processed in July 2012 by Sonja Ulrich
The CSU Dominguez Hills Olympic 7-Eleven Velodrome was funded by the Southland Corporation and built in 1981. It served as
the site for the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic cycling events, and was eventually demolished in 2003.
The Southland Corporation was founded in Dallas, Texas in 1927 as the Southland Ice Company, when their retail ice outlets
sold milk, bread and eggs. After restructuring in 1946, the company renamed their retail stores 7-Eleven, and changed its
corporate name to 7-Eleven Inc. in 1999. As of 2012 the company has over 46,000 international retail outlets with over 1,000
stores in the USA.
In the beginning stages of planning for the Los Angeles 1984 Olympics, Jere Thompson, president of the Southland Corporation
approached the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee's president, Peter Ueberroth, to express the company’s desire to become
involved with the Olympics. Ueberroth recommended funding of the velodrome. Even though the principals knew little about cycling,
Southland liked the idea in tying the concept of bicycling to 7-Eleven stores. The sites considered were: CSU, Dominguez Hills,
Harbor College, Wilmington, CSU, Northridge, Claremont Men's College and the City of San Diego. Factors in the site selection
were: site and soil suitability, accessibility to major and surface arteries, proximity to major utilities, lowest total construction
cost and shortest completion schedule. CSU, Dominguez Hills was able to add to their proposal the donation of a 6.5 acre parcel
to the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee for the velodrome, and their Board of Trustees authorized construction in
their November, 1980 meeting. On February 5, 1981, CSU, Dominguez Hills was awarded the Olympic Velodrome.
The 7-Eleven Olympic Velodrome was the only world class cycling track in western United States and the only one in the world
on a university campus. Velodrome specification included: length, 333.33 meters (1,093 ft.); width, 7 meters (23 feet); bank
turns, 33 degrees; attainable speeds up to 72 kilometers (47 miles) per hour; permanent seating, 2,000; Olympic seating capacity,
8,000 and velodrome surface of poured concrete track on concrete fill. The cost of the velodrome was $3 million, and the contractor
Stolte, Inc.
Groundbreaking ceremonies took place on July 9, 1981 at the construction site. The ceremonies were kicked off at 10:15am with
a race between Eric Heiden and challengers from the media, followed by a 10-lap club race by The South, Bay Wheelmen. Visitors
from the Southland Corporation, Stolte Corporation officials and representatives from L.A.O.O.C. were present. On May 10,
1982, the International Cycling Federation Certification (FIAC) was received. The first trial high speed run performed by
Jack Simes, 3-time U.S. Olympic Cycling team member and 2-time team coach, occurred on January 21, 1982.
The grand opening occurred July 8, 1982 with Eric Heiden (1980 Lake Placid 5 Gold Medal winner for speedskating) and Sheila
Ochowicz (1976 Winter Games-Innsbruck, Gold Medal winner of 500 meter speedskating), cycling the first official lap. The grand
opening ceremony was a three day event with July 9 and 10 devoted to the Grand Prix Finals. 3,000 people attended, including
the official XXIII Olympiad mascot Sam the Eagle.
Some of the noteworthy events held at the velodrome were The Grand Prix of Cycling, SCCF Annual Far West Championships, International
Human Powered Speed Championships, and United States Federation of Cycling (U.S.F.C.) cycling events (1983). The Grand Prix
Finals were a series of bicycle track events to improve American cyclists at the international level. Emphasis was placed
on Olympic track events, match sprints, individual pursuit, the kilometer and the points race. Grand Prix Cycling events were
held at the velodrome in 1982, 1983 and 1988. The SCCF 20th Annual Far West Championships were hosted at the velodrome on
September 17 and 18 of 1982, and on October 3, 1982 the 8th International Human Powered Speed Championships were held featuring
unique pedal-powered vehicles. Other velodrome cycling events included the Murray/7-Eleven International Cycling Invitational
(1983), the Christian Dior California Coast Classic Cycling Event (September 1984), Collegial National Champions Cycling (1987-1989),
World Cycling Invitational (1989).
Surface problems of the track occurred in 1983 when cracks developed on the concrete, which were repaired on time for the
Olympic games in 1984. Additional surface damage occurred again in 1987, which ultimately led to the demolition and replacement
of the facility. An indoor velodrome with wood floors was constructed at the Home Depot Center on campus in its place and
opened in 2004.
Among the many uses envisioned for the velodrome by the university were developmental classes and training, maintenance exercise/conditioning
and cycling as a means of cardiac rehabilitation. Aspects of research related to sports medicine could lead to degrees in
biomechanics, medical technology, sports and recreation with cycling emphasis. Public use time and races, both professional
and amateur were available. After the 1984 Olympics concluded, the Southland Corporation donated the velodrome to the university.
In order to continue their plans and development of the velodrome, the university established a Foundation which was responsible
for operating and raising funds to run the velodrome
The velodrome was used extensively for movie and commercial filming and as a sports and entertainment venue until the demolition
of the facility in 2003. Non-sports related events included rock concerts, flea markets and circuses, and CSUDH commencements
were held at the velodrome until the mid-1990s. In 2003 the structure was replaced with the Home Depot Center as a multi-purpose
facility, and the ADT Event Center was opened in 2004 as an indoor cycling facility.
Note on Sources: The sources used in the compilation of the bibliography are located throughout the Olympic Velodrome Collection
and online.
American Way Magazine, September, 1982 p. 46
Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee News Releases, 1979-1983
Los Angeles Times, July 12, 1981
Los Angeles Times, July 9, 1982
Los Angeles Times, September 28, 1982, Part III, p. 27
Dan McLean, Staff Writer, South Bay Daily Breeze, July 10, 1981
1980-81 Annual Report of the Chancellor to the Board of Trustees, California State University Dominguez Hills, p. 42
Press Relations (California State University Dominguez Hills) Press Clippings 1981
SCCF News, Vol. 8, No. 6, July 1982
South Bay Daily Breeze, February 9, 1982
The Southland Corp., Olympic Planning Committee, News Releases, Dallas, Texas, 1980-1983
USA Magazine, November, 1981, pp. 8-9
Los Angeles Times, November 22, 1992
Los Angeles Times, August 22, 1998
Dateline Dominguez Hills, August 13, 2009,
http://www.csudh.edu/univadv/dateline/archives/20090813/campusnews/alookback.htm.
Retrieved July 19, 2012.
7-Eleven History, http://www.corp.7-eleven.com/AboutUs/History/tabid/75/Default.aspx%7C.
Retrieved July 19, 2012.
The Olympic Velodrome Collection consists of materials relating to the planning, construction,
development and use of the Olympic Velodrome from 1977 to 2003. The velodrome was a track racing
cycling facility that was located on the California State University, Dominguez Hills campus,
and was used as the Los Angeles Olympic cycling site in 1984. The type of materials that
predominate throughout the collection are reports, documents, correspondence, news releases,
newspaper clippings, press packets, photographs and publications such as pamphlets, brochures,
booklets, magazines, and newsletters from the Southland Corporation and the Los Angeles
Olympic Organizing Committee. In addition there is California State University, Dominguez Hills
generated publications relating to some of the activities held in the Velodrome before and after
the 1984 Olympics. This is supplemented by copies of mainstream news and sports magazines as well
as special edition and supplements of local newspapers which chronicle the Olympics as well as
the usage of the Olympic velodrome before and after the Olympics. The collection also contains
numerous souvenir objects of the 1984 Olympics such as mugs, pencils, flags, buttons, bumper
stickers, bicycle bells, postal stamps, ticket stubs, key chains, wallets, clothing items
(t-shirts, caps, manager’s uniform items, and sweats), postcards, posters, photos, booklets,
guides and pin collections. A unique piece of concrete from the demolished Olympic velodrome
with a certificate of authenticity is the final artifact remains of the facility in this
collection.
The collection is divided into three broad categories: before the 1984 Olympics (1977-1983),
the year of the Olympics (1984), and the period after the Olympics until the demolition of the
velodrome (1985-2002). A wide range of topics are addressed: velodrome construction proposals
with draft and floor plans; environmental impact studies; scope and usage of the velodrome;
repair and improvement projects; public relation activities; Olympic designation proposals and
official designation of California State University, Dominguez Hills as an Olympic event site;
planning and organizing committee activities; velodrome grand opening planning and execution of
events; Olympic planning materials from the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee such as
mascot drawings and concession selection, as well as public safety issues and cycling athletes’
try-outs; pre-Olympic cycling event materials; Olympic preparations such as vendor and staff
listings, as well as schedule of events; Olympic Arts Festival materials; post-Olympic planning
of velodrome events, activities and management of the facility; velodrome track surface
problems and consultation reports; public relation marketing proposals and events held at the
velodrome, and the organizational restructuring of the velodrome after the Southland
Corporation donated the facility to CSUDH. Certain items are on permanent loan at the new
ADT Event Center velodrome, and are identified with the note "on loan".
Arrangement
Arranged in 10 series:
- Series I. Press Articles, 1979-1993
- Series II. Documents, 1980-2002
- Series III. Reports, 1980-1988
- Series IV. Ephemera, 1981-2004
- Series V. Correspondence, 1977-1997
- Series VI. Publications, 1978-1988
- Series VII. Press Releases, 1980-1984
- Series VIII. Press Kits, 1981-1983
- Series VIV. Photos, 1982-1984
- Series X. Objects, 1982-2002
Velodromes
Olympic Games (23rd : 1984 : Los Angeles, Calif.)
Bicycle Racetrack
Bicycle Racing
Olympics--Los Angeles--Planning
Carson, Calif.
Los Angeles, Calif.
California State University, Dominguez Hills
Southland Corporation
Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee