We are excited to work with Pulaski County leaders to create an innovative sports facility. Read more about the project in the article below from WDBJ. Check out photos from the plan reveal and a video about the project!

By Leslie Johnson

PULASKI COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ) – The Pulaski County Board of Supervisors and the Sports Tourism and Entertainment Authority have revealed details on a future Pulaski County Sportsplex Saturday, March 29.

The 165,000 square foot facility will offer 8 indoor basketball/volleyball/futsal courts, 2 indoor turf soccer fields, 4 permanent indoor pickleball courts, 22 additional indoor pickleball courts (total 26), a community weight room, cardio room, senior room, 1/5th of a mile indoor walking track, 110 meter indoor sprint track, 2 drop-down batting cages, an indoor Golf Institute, a full-service restaurant, programming and classroom space, member locker rooms, exposition space, entertainment space, and more.

“This project has been a dream of our community for so very long and it was absolutely amazing to share with our citizens the details of how we plan to convert this discontinued manufacturing facility the County owns into one of the most meaningful assets a local government can provide its citizenry”, Laura Walters, Chair, Board of Supervisors. “As you can clearly see from the plans, the Sportsplex will offer something for everyone of all ages and the enterprising approach will not only make it affordable and sustainable for our citizens, but will fuel direct and indirect revenues by way of our hospitality and services industry sectors.”

Activities will include the complete Pulaski County Parks & Recreation indoor sports and club programming and will commercially be available for tournaments hosting basketball, volleyball, indoor soccer, futsal, pickleball, wrestling, cornhole, cheerleading, and more.

“The Board of Supervisors believe Pulaski County citizens deserve nice things and feel this is an important investment in the future of our community and our people”, stated Jonathan D. Sweet, Pulaski County Administrator. “This facility will be the new nexus of our community and will provide a safe and healthy place for all of our citizens to enjoy health, wellness, fellowship, recreation, competition, growth, development, nurture and fun. We are excited to embark on this long-awaited endeavor and look forward to what this will mean for our youth, adult and senior programming, our middle and high school sports teams, our citizen’s health and fitness, our community pride, our public image, entrepreneurialism, and investor confidence.”

Pulaski County identified the building more than 15 years ago as a potential location for a community recreation facility when it acquired ownership during a flux with a previous manufacturing operator. Pulaski County engaged in multiple community meetings and public input session for over two years from 2017 to its last meeting on February 15, 2019, that was held at the Pulaski County High School.

The COVID-19 global pandemic temporarily delayed this initiative for more than three and a half years, but timing was again on the county’s side when the county-owned facility experienced another flux with last manufacturing operator and the change in use could once again be revaluated. The County’s Parks & Recreation Master Plan identified an ‘Indoor’ Wellness Center as the #1 desired recreational asset/amenity. More than 60% of all citizen surveyed respondents wished that the County would develop an indoor wellness facility. Pulaski County citizens have had to travel outside the county to enjoy indoor recreation and wellness facilities offerings. Nationwide, approximately 80% or more of communities offer a community recreation center including most all of the neighboring communities to Pulaski County.

“The acquirement of the Pulaski County Motorsports Park, Calfee Park, and the strategic improvements made at Randolph Park, along with the investment in a such a large and versatile indoor asset, will yield tremendous sports and entertainment opportunities for the County, but moreover it is going to mean so much more to the health, entertainment and economic opportunities for the citizens and businesses of Pulaski County”, stated Ashley Coake, Chair, Pulaski County Sports Tourism & Entertainment Authority. “You couple these world-class assets with professional and amateur sports and entertainment events at Claytor Lake, the New River Trail, and throughout our various public and private sports and entertainment venues, and we have effectively built an entire new industry here to flourish that marks a new era for Pulaski County.”