Backroads of Appalachia Plans Multi-Million Off-Road Testing Site Near Booneville

Backroads of Appalachia and partner motorsports organizations are developing a multi-acre off-road testing and training facility near Booneville intended to support rally, overland and off-road vehicle testing and events. The proposal has been framed as an economic-development initiative that would use public and private funding to expand outdoor recreation and motorsports tourism in Owsley County.

Project planners describe a purpose-built course and training complex designed to host competitive and recreational events as well as vehicle testing. Organizers associated with Ultra4 and related motorsports groups have signaled plans to stage events that could draw regional visitors and vendors. Public grant support tied to Appalachian Regional Commission programs and ARISE-type awards has been reported in the multi-million-dollar range, indicating significant public investment alongside private partners.

Local officials and economic development advocates see the project as a way to diversify a county economy with limited commercial bases. The development aims to generate construction work during build-out and create ongoing roles in operations, safety, maintenance, hospitality and event services. Planners also emphasize potential spillover spending at local restaurants, stores and lodging as visitors come for weekend events and testing sessions.

The site’s scale and the motorsports focus raise practical questions for residents and county government. A large testing facility brings increased traffic on secondary roads, demands for site access and utilities, and expectations for noise control and land-management practices. Developers will need to complete permitting, environmental reviews and road or utility upgrades before events begin. Those steps will shape timing and the scope of visible economic benefits.

From a regional policy perspective, the project fits a wider Appalachian strategy that channels federal and state grants into place-based recreation and tourism development to spur job creation in rural counties. Public funding in the multi-million-dollar range suggests state and federal agencies see motorsports and outdoor recreation as a growth sector capable of leveraging private investment. For Owsley County, success will depend on effective coordination between project backers, county officials, and neighboring communities to capture visitor dollars and manage infrastructure impacts.

For residents, the project promises new visitors, potential payrolls and a higher profile for Booneville on regional motorsports calendars. It also presents familiar trade-offs in rural land use and public services. As Backroads of Appalachia moves forward from announcements made in 2024 and 2025, the next steps will be securing final funding agreements, completing regulatory approvals and laying out a construction timetable that will determine when local people begin to see concrete job openings and increased tourist activity.