This is what the future Spokane Sportsplex will look like
SPOKANE, Wash. — It’s a project that’s been decades in the making. On Wednesday, it will be one step closer to completion. Construction crews plan to break ground on the new Sportsplex on the North Bank of Spokane this week.
The Spokane Public Facilities District, which owns and operates the facility, and the Spokane Sports Commission, who will handle programming and marketing for the facility, shared with 4 News Now renderings of the massive venue to come. The ribbon-cutting is already being planned for August 2021 and the calendar for sporting events is filling up.
The facility will be 135,000 square feet with 72,000 square feet of competition space. There will be a 200-meter, 6-lane indoor hydraulic banked track and will also allow set up for 16 volleyball courts, nine basketball courts, 21 wrestling mats and a flexible space for a variety of other sports.
Spokane is no stranger hosting large-scale sporting events like the Pacific Northwest Qualifier for volleyball. It would typically be held inside the Spokane Convention Center, which had limitations. The Sportsplex will provide space for the event as it continues to grow, as well as allow Spokane to attract even bigger events that were previously out of reach due to regional venue limitations.
The Spokane Sports Commission said this could potentially include international competitions, college conferences and national sports organizations.
Unlike other sports complexes around the country, the Spokane Sportsplex was planned to be an extension of Riverfront Park. Planners have described it as more of a campus and less of a big, square box.
Construction on the venue is estimated to cost $53 million. It is being funded by a variety of unique partnerships which includes the Spokane Public Facilities District, State of Washington, City of Spokane, Spokane County, Spokane Parks and the Hotel/Motel Association.
As stated on the Sportsplex website, “By utilizing an existing State sales tax rebate, lodging taxes, SPFD reserves, and a one-time contribution from the City of Spokane, the project will have the funds to construct and operate the facility to construct and operate the facility without an increase in local taxes.”
Already, Spokane Public Facilities shared that the project is revitalizing the North Bank. The developers behind the newly renovated Wonder Building, which houses several food and drink vendors, credited the Sportsplex with their development plan.
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The same goes for Selkirk Development, who are planning expansion of the Papillion building. That project will house more places to eat in Spokane and are just a short walk from the soon-to-be Sportsplex.
The Sportsplex is estimated to also bring an additional 23,000 out-of-town visitors, 26 to 46 thousand more hotel stays and up to an additional $33 million in tourism spending per year. Between $1-1.7 million in increased general tax revenues per year are also expected.
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