Warp Skatepark Slated To Close

A private indoor skateboard facility in Lake in the Hills is expected to shut its doors the day after a June 11 Gatorade-sponsored skateboard competition.

Rob Mutert, owner of on Trinity Drive in Lake in the Hills, wrote on his website that he is looking for money to save the business.

Mutert told Patch on Wednesday afternoon that he needs $100,000 to keep the place open for the rest of the year. He's three months behind in rent.

“We went down when the economy tanked,” Mutert said. “It comes down to kids asking to go shopping and they're more likely to get a yes from their parents if their parents have the money. I'm not one to put out my hand. But I have. There are people with big hearts that have offered thousands of dollars. Well, it's going to take hundreds of thousands of dollars to stay in business.

“The only way I could see that happening is with corporate sponsorships, hanging flags with corporate names on them at $10,000 a flag inside the skate park. But I don't see that happening.

“We've had our run. We've produced some phenomenal athletes in the past eight years.”

A.J. Steadman, manager at Warp, said the $10 charged for three hours of skating and the $150 charged for a year's membership just wasn't enough to cover the bills.

Enthusiasts of the Lake in the Hills skateboard facility this week were appealing to Chaz Ortiz, a Chicago resident and professional skateboarder, on his Facebook site, asking Ortiz to help find sponsors to keep the skate park open.

One post on Ortiz's Facebook wall from Elliot Sandburg reads: “Chaz, I'll never ask you for anything ever if you can help us sponsor Warp. It's closing and we need your help so we can have a place to skate. Hit Rob (Mutert) up and help!”

“The plan, for now, is we’ll be shutting down for the summer,” Steadman said.

On May 27, this message was posted on Warp Skatepark's Facebook page: “We will be CLOSING down the Skatepark operation at its current location on June 12th 2011. The Gatorade Free Flow contest on June 11th WILL be the last day of skating at the park.”

Steadman said Warp may be pared down and reopen at a different location as a custom-board shop.

Upcoming Gatorade Free Flow Contest

Miles Canevello, 18, of McHenry, and Alex Gargano, 16, of Lake in the Hills, are the local favorites to win the Gatorade Free Flow contest.

Canevello said it's tough to get people interested in skateboarding indoors when the weather is nice.

Canevello was training Tuesday evening at Warp, but added that he was there because he was getting ready for the Gatorade event. The place had four other skateboarders there.

He said if it were not for the Gatorade contest, he’d be at an outdoor skateboard park. Canevello wants to be outside when the weather is nice.

Canevello said if he wins, he'll be taking a trip Sept. 8 to 11 in Salt Lake City to compete in the finals.

Winners of the Gatorade Free Flow event are determined by judges who evaluate the runs of each competitor based on style, variety of tricks, use of elements, ability and overall performance, said Colleen Hillgard, spokeswoman for Burr Ridge-based Alliance of Action Sports, the event organizer.