Local officials, developers and athletes broke ground today for a major sports complex that is expected to attract thousands of families and athletes to the SCHEELS Sports Park at Legacy Pointe starting in 2025.
The 70-acre multisport outdoor and indoor development will be located behind the SCHEELS superstore on South MacArthur Boulevard in Springfield, just north of the Interstate 72 interchange.
“We are excited to see construction begin on this transformative complex,” said Ryan McCrady, CEO of the Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance. “We believe this once-in-a-generation project will become the best youth sports destination in Illinois. On behalf of the business community, I want to thank all of the city and county officials and other local leaders who made this possible, and we tip our caps to Steve Luker and Dirk McCormick, the Legacy Pointe developers who had the vision for this.”
The park is a public-private development funded by the developers, private investors, and a portion of the City of Springfield’s local hotel-motel tax and sales tax. Other local government bodies (Springfield District 186, Sangamon County, Springfield Park District, SMEAA Board, SMTD, Springfield Airport Authority, Lincoln Land Community College, and Capital Township) also took action that allowed this project to move forward.
The top private donors for this project include Pinnacle Partners, SCHEELS and Springfield Clinic. Springfield Clinic will serve as the official health and performance partner. The next level, Vision Partners, includes Bank of Springfield and Mammoth Sports Construction.
Foundation Partners include Valco Awards and More, Inc., Martin Engineering Company, ACE Sign Co., Henson Robinson Company, Sallenger Incorporated, B&B Electric, Engrained Brewing Co. and the Springfield Springhill Suites.
“This complex will bring a lot of families, revenue and excitement to the city and the region,” Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher said. “It will enhance the quality of life in our community, and all of the additional hotel room nights, restaurant meals and shopping will be a major boost to our economy. This sports park makes Springfield a destination in a new way, and my hope is that many of our new visitors will also enjoy our historical sites and arts opportunities while they’re here.”
Major aspects of the complex include:
- A 190,000-square-foot indoor dome that can be configured at different times for basketball courts, volleyball courts, a soccer field, performance and turf training areas.
- Outdoor facilities will include lighted, multipurpose turf fields for baseball, softball, football and soccer fields.
In addition to the tournaments that will be hosted at the sports park on the weekends, there are several local user groups that have already signed up to utilize the facilities including Springfield District 186, the Springfield Park District, Springfield Area Soccer Association (SASA) and The Hitting Center.
Construction will begin immediately, and the facility will open for competition and tournaments in 2025. Sports Facilities Companies will manage the tournaments and facilities once the sports park opens.
You can learn more about how you or your company can become a partner in this project at www.legacypointe.net.