Northern Nevada home of 15,000 foot indoor skate and BMX park

Amelia Calvert, reno.com
August 29, 2007

Eleven-year-old Perris Benegas, of Sparks, has a secret power. She can fly.

Not the same kind of flying Superman does, when he bellows, “Up-up-and-away,” and bursts into the sky wearing his tights and a cape, but Benegas has her own style of flying, known only to those who ride or skate ramps, no tights required.

When she hops on her Fit BMX bike, slides on her helmet and dons her pads, she becomes a super human force, defying gravity, and with the help of her bike, she slips the bonds of Earth for a few fractions of time, becoming poetry in motion. She and her bike are one, her feet fuse to the pedals, pushing and pumping, faster and faster as she sails high above the ramp walls, her long locks trailing out behind her in the breeze. She’s got the drive, determination and dedication to become a pro BMX rider, and at Open Ground Park, she has found a place to foster that desire and make it happen.

Open Ground Park owned and operated by Erin Weed, a Reno native, and husband Gabe Weed, a pro BMX rider since 1993, first opened in Reno in July 2006. Gabe and wife Erin, wanted to move to Reno to be near her family, and after his first winter in the area, they decided Reno needed an indoor action sports park. With help from friends and investors Chris and Annette Oggerino, the Weeds were on their way.


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The Weeds did plenty of research before opening Reno’s first indoor skate and BMX park. The closest indoor parks are in Northern California, hours away by car and with some coming in at only 7,000 square feet, are hardly worth the effort, time and expense it takes for parents to get their kids there for an afternoon. The better indoor parks are as far away as Burnside, in Portland, Oregon; Salt Lake City, Utah; or San Francisco, Calif.

As soon as Open Ground started to catch on, the Weeds had to shut the doors in September to make repairs to the industrial warehouse site, and reopened in late December 2006. During those few months, the Weeds were scraping down to their last dollars trying to keep Open Ground running. Then, thanks to a stretch of bad weather, winter vacation from school, and a silent investor, things started to pick up.

Now, Open Ground is fully operational with 15,000 square feet of ramps and terrain to ride, redesigned by rider Nate Blades, and meeting all skill levels for skateboarders, in-line skaters and BMX riders. Inside, riders will find a fully stocked pro shop for all their BMX and skating needs, a parents’ lounge complete with wireless Internet access and a place to watch kids ride, and a rider’s lounge, with lockers to stow stuff and couches where kids can catch their heroes in the latest videos pulling rad new tricks.

Weed, a So-Cal kid who began riding BMX at 13 and turned pro at 19 for sponsor GT bicycles, looks every inch the athlete he is and slips easily between business man and rider. His face lights up when he sees the kids come in and he knows them all by name.

“Hey Nate, how’s it going? Wow -- all our shredders are showing up today…” Weed grins and gets to work behind the counter, replacing grip tape on a rider’s deck. Kids who live anywhere between the Bay area and Reno are coming to Open Ground, drawing skaters and riders from Fernly, Carson City, and other areas. Weed continues to perform at half-time shows, expos including Tobacco-free and Got Milk? promotions, and with team mates. He is putting together his own team of eight riders and eight skaters for events in the area.

Weed wanted to have a great park open to kids who want to find their talents, develop them and stick with it. After riding BMX for the past 22 years, he understands that it takes an organized place for kids to come to get noticed and sponsored. Talented kids riding right now could be totally amazing and sponsor-worthy, but they won’t get recognized until they attach to a reputable park, enter some contests and get noticed. Not to mention, having a professional athlete and rider mentor them with support and instruction is a huge bonus. Not every kid is going to be a professional, but the ones who could be should have the support they need to stick with the sport, Weed says.

Not only can Weed help the kids, he can answer questions, educate the kids and advise the parents. Weed and his staff want to see kids with good gear that will work well for them and keep them interested. Weed can tell parents what the kids need and set them up with the right gear, picking out what will help the kids learn the fastest. Open Ground has a complete pro shop, where riders and skaters can find the latest and best equipment and have their bikes and boards tuned and repaired.

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Weed says there are 13 million skateboard riders in the United States. It is no longer seen as the renegade sport it used to be, and now, with X-Games and ESPN coverage, ramp sports seems more legitimate with honest-to-goodness athletes. Old-school skaters like Tony Hawk and riders like Dave Mirra have helped turn “extreme” sports of the past to mainstream recreation and big-dollar businesses.

Benegas has been riding for about a year and a half, after following in the pedals of her big brother, who is 16. Her parents say she can be at Open Ground every day open to close, riding and practicing, as long as she does her homework. She works very hard at riding and wants to become a pro rider, like her hero, Chris Doyle, who she met.

Some of the benefits she's learned from riding include keeping a positive attitude, learning to set goals for herself and staying in good physical shape. She considers herself an athlete and also plays basketball. She says the scene at Open Ground is better than other parks she has been to, since there are no kids around smoking. It’s easy to make friends at Open Ground. Kids will see you doing tricks and ask for help, and you start talking and you can become friends pretty quickly. It’s pretty open, she says.

Weed likes the idea that the kids are developing self-discipline, learning how to focus, set goals and accomplish them. Helmets and pads are required, for safety, and all riders must sign a waiver, or have a parent present to sign. Details are available on the site.

Trey Sather, 13, a seventh-grader at Dilworth School says he likes everything about coming to Open Ground. He is working on landing a mellon-180-over-spine. He is also mastering his hand plants.

Parents like the idea of a controlled environment with adult supervision. Plus, kids aren’t riding in traffic or out on busy streets where they compete with cars and other recreational vehicles. Parents from the area like having the opportunity to know where their kids are hanging out, and with whom. The atmosphere at Open Ground allows parents to meet each other when they are dropping off and picking up, and they can hang out and watch and meet the other kids who come to ride.

Party rooms or the entire park are available for rent for birthdays, special events or private parties. The three-hour party package is $185 for up to 10 people, each additional guest is $15. Includes VIP room, three large tables, free riding sessions, helmets, knee and elbow pads, a slice of pizza and soda for everyone and tableware. Cake is extra at $30, and invitations, $20.

This summer, Weed wants to host summer camps from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the kids, with lunch and breakfast, and group and private lessons are always available. Some of his future plans include hosting bands, expanding to an outdoor site and finding a building they own instead of rent.


For more details, visit opengroundpark.com or email at: opengroundpark@aol.com. Open Ground also has a MySpace page.

Prices at Open Ground

• Annual memberships are $49 and include an Open Ground T-shirt, Open Ground ID and first day of riding, free.

• A three hour session for members is $5 or $10 for non-members.
A day pass for members is $8 or $15 for non-members.

• Unlimited sessions during monthly membership costs $49 or $65 for non-members.

• Annual unlimited pass $499, includes Open Ground T-shirt, Open Ground ID, free first day of riding and 7% discount in pro-shop.

• The three-hour party package is $185 for up to 10 people, each additional guest is $15. Includes VIP room, three large tables, free riding session, helmets, knee and elbow pads, a slice of pizza and soda for everyone and tableware. Cake is extra, at $30, and invitations, $20.

Open Ground Action Sports Park: 2450 Valley Road, Unit A, Reno, (775)324-PARK or fax (775)324-7278.

• Winter hours
Beginning Aug. 28, 2007

Closed Mondays
Tuesday through Thursday 3:30 p.m to 9:30 p.m.
Friday 3:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday noon to 8 p.m.

• Summer hours
Mondays - closed
Tuesday through Thursday; noon to 8 p.m.
Friday; noon to 10 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday; noon to 8 p.m.

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