A new indoor go-kart track in Montville, hailed as the world's largest, is inching toward opening. It's also jumpstarting the Montville economy.
"We've interviewed 400 people and I believe that there are 80 people that we've currently hired," said Dan Fawcett, co-owner of NASKART.
The plan is to hire around 100 people for full and part-time positions. People from all across Connecticut and Rhode Island have been vying to fill the roles, according to Fawcett.
"We're happy that as a new business, a new start-up coming in here, being able to offer that to the community," he said.
"It's a great opportunity to start with someone from the beginning," said Raleigh Brailsford, of Plainfield.
As NASKART's newly hired operations manager, he's helping his community get jobs, too. One person he interviewed lives down the block.
"It's definitely a family feel. I can tell you, in my time here, I've never sat alone to have lunch," Brailsford said.
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Montville Mayor Ron McDaniel said the hiring surge is needed.
"We lost a paper mill recently where we lost a lot of good paying jobs, we lost a power plant not that long before that, that had gone bankrupt. So we've taken out hits in the local economy," McDaniel said, adding the casinos are even cutting down on jobs.
McDaniel said this will help keep people racing to Montville "and continue to make southeastern Connecticut the premier tourist and entertainment destination."
NASKART has two tracks totaling a half mile, go-karts that reach speeds up to 45 mph, there's even a trampoline park and a full bar.
NASKART staff said they plan to open the facility by the end of December.
