DRAWING COURTESY OF THE SPORTS FACILITIES COMPANIES
A schematic drawing of Scheels Sports activities Park at Legacy Pointe appears to be like north of the Scheels sporting items retailer, with the long run web site of a 180,000-square-foot air construction depicted at high proper. It’s slated to be inflated by the top of June, and the advanced will start internet hosting sporting occasions in October.
Issues are progressing fairly properly with Scheels Sports activities Park at Legacy Pointe, based on all of the principals concerned. After years of uncertainty over its viability, a 180,000-square-foot dome is slated to be inflated within the latter a part of June, with sports activities actions anticipated to begin in October. The grand opening of the park’s main money-making enterprise – journey tournaments for a number of youth from a number of states in a number of sports activities – is on the right track by March of subsequent 12 months.
As soon as full, the event is projected to draw 2 million guests per 12 months, most of them out-of-town touring groups with youngsters and their dad and mom spending two or three nights over the weekend with disposable revenue on the prepared. The view expressed by Steve Luker, a managing member of Legacy Pointe Improvement, which owns the land at Scheels Sports activities Park, is that the park will turn out to be a “treasure” for Springfield.
“You are going to have simply an unbelievable variety of folks coming to Springfield who most likely would not have ventured right here,” stated Luker.
All this tangible optimism is beginning to appeal to curiosity from others hoping to get in on the motion. Legacy Pointe Improvement nonetheless has out there land across the sports activities fields, roughly 50 acres past the 70 occupied by the sports activities amenities, and Indiana businessman Tim Turpin desires a bit.
Turpin hopes to construct a 60,000-square-foot Illinois Sports activities Corridor of Fame on the grounds of the park, which might occupy 4 or 5 of the out there acres. The ISHOF would home artifacts and reveals on nice gamers and groups from Illinois, from highschool to the professionals. The way in which Turpin sees it, sports-inclined guests want extra than simply the match video games at Scheels Sports activities Park to fill their time for a weekend, so why not pay $10 a head to see real memorabilia from Michael Jordan, Walter Payton or Ernie Banks, or get an image with a Jordan statue out entrance?
There are a variety of brick-and-mortar sports activities halls of fame on the market – even Springfield has one, quickly to be ensconced within the new metropolis transportation hub at present below building on Ninth Avenue – however there may be none for a state model for Illinois. To get the proposed enterprise off to a very good begin marketing-wise, Turpin has organized a two-night banquet for the primary inductees to the ISHOF, June 13-14, on the BOS Middle in downtown Springfield.
Inductees who will communicate embrace, amongst others, legendary Chicago Bears defensive lineman Dan Hampton, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback and Batavia native Ken Anderson, Markham native Denny McClain – the final Main Leaguer to win 30 video games in a season – and DePaul basketball star Terry Cummings. Well-known Illinois sports activities stars coming to Springfield for banquets and inductions are one of many predominant promoting factors Turpin has for the proposed venture, which he estimates would price $7.5 million to do proper.
Turpin, a Corridor of Fame former semi-pro baseball participant (sure, there may be such a HOF), says he desires to create “The Cooperstown of the Midwest,” referring to the Nationwide Baseball Corridor of Fame in New York. Turpin and his firm, GEBHOF Sports activities Corridor of Fame, have integrated different state HOFs in Indiana and Ohio, however not one of the proposed initiatives have but to end in shovels within the filth.
“If any individual offers us the land, we’ll elevate the cash for it,” stated Turpin, whose firm’s bread-and-butter is promoting sponsored bricks and different reveals round Halls of Fame. “These youngsters and their dad and mom want one thing to do once they’re not enjoying video games. And that is what the attraction is for Springfield.”
How will the $7.5 million be raised? That is what Luker and Springfield Conference and Guests Bureau director Scott Dahl wish to know. A late Could assembly between Turpin and Luker is within the works, and Turpin has had a number of casual discussions with Dahl.
“We might like to have one within the capital metropolis. It might be a pleasant addition to our different points of interest,” Dahl stated. “I am unsure it might be a vacation spot, however when individuals are contemplating Springfield, we attempt to tie as many issues collectively as doable. Having an Illinois Sports activities Corridor of Fame proper right here within the capital metropolis couldn’t harm. We might welcome it if we may get it performed.”
Whereas Dahl stated finding the ISHOF in Legacy Pointe would create a “built-in viewers,” he is open to different prospects if it makes the venture extra possible.
“In case you have hassle with that $7.5 million, perhaps there is a downtown house? We’re nonetheless ready to see what is going to occur with the Wyndham (resort). Downtown will really feel (the results of) Scheels Sports activities Park at Legacy Pointe it doesn’t matter what,” he stated. “It will department out and contact all elements of town.”
Dahl described the Scheels Sports activities Park as “a tremendous deal for town,” noting that town does not should personal or function it.
“We’re giving up 2% of the resort tax and 1% of the gross sales tax, solely at Legacy Pointe,” he stated. “We’re offering the incentives so long as the ability is open.”
What sort of incentives Turpin can wrangle from town stays to be seen. However together with his Indiana nation twang and good-ole-boy demeanor, Turpin has, at the least, an inviting imaginative and prescient for a constructing in Springfield. If it is constructed, will they arrive? That’s the nagging query, as Turpin’s visions are solely that proper now. There isn’t any proof that any of his proposed state sports activities Corridor of Fames is usually a moneymaker.
Luker, at the least for now, is prepared to hearken to extra of Turpin’s concepts.
“We’re in favor of any venture coming to Springfield that is for the betterment of the neighborhood. Something that will improve or promote the sports activities advanced, we’re very happy to sit down down on the desk when the time is true, to see if there is a residence for him out at Legacy, and if it is smart,” Luker stated. “However it hasn’t even gotten to the beginning block with us. It is a dream at this level. That being stated, that is how the sports activities advanced began.”
Adrian Dater, a longtime former sportswriter in Denver and creator of seven books, moved to Springfield in 2023 to get his first style of life within the Midwest. He might be reached at [email protected].
