Paul Zitzer was a professional skateboarder for ten years, competing with the likes of Tony Hawk, and later became a featured on-air commentator, working high profile events like the X Games and even the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He is as plugged in as you can be to the rabid underground culture of skating and hopes to extend his global influence on Louisville’s thriving skateboarding scene.
His impressive facility, Sprak Skateboarding, near Lannan Park and the Shippingport Island bridge at 800 North 27th Street is 13,000 square feet of skateboarding paradise, all the ramps, halfpipes and curb-grinding obstacles that any skater would desire. Far from being a hands-off investor, Paul actively worked on the construction of the park, a skill he said he learned when he was 13: he and his friends wanted ramps to skate on, so they had to build them themselves. His goal was to have everything a skater would want under one roof, an extension of the highly influential Skatepark of Tampa, which he is still affiliated with, and where during his peak skating years of the 1990s he became the fixture on the scene that he is today.
“We love it here,” said Paul recently. He is originally from Milwaukee but moved to Tampa in 1990s. He later moved to California and met his future wife, who was from Louisville. “With Portland, it was 100% finding a spot that could work. I looked at a lot of buildings, but I had very certain specific needs: tall ceilings, open floor, no columns needing to be torn down. It was very affordable, by far most inexpensive option. This little zone is great, and some people from Portland have never even been over here before.”
Sprak opened in July and has already developed a following, gaining momentum by hosting a contest in August featuring 80 of the top amateur skaters in the country (not just Louisville or the region), many of whom would advance to an event in Tampa, which could potentially lead to a professional career. Videos of the event show a packed house and the positive vibes that the skating community generates. Zitzer is counting on the wider appeal of the niche audience to expand, with Portland serving as the home base.
“It’s not just been Louisville, but surrounding areas,” he said of his visitors. “Some people just came from Nashville, just to skate. We’ve also had skaters from St. Louis, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Lexington. It’s a tight knit scene. They show up.
“I have friends on every continent, all because of skating.”
Paul plans on featuring more local talent in future, and he’s recently had bands perform – at an event which featured beverages from Portland establishment Shippingport Brewing — and plans to display a skater-created and curated art show in the spring.
Visit www.sprakskateboarding.com for skate park hours and subscription rates, including the “Portland Locals” special, only $5 a day for Portland residents under 18 years of age.
