By Kaitlin Hoskins, News Editor
Construction is officially underway on the $76.5 million Gadsden Athletic Center, a major sports and recreation development city leaders say will serve residents year-round while creating a new destination for regional tournaments and events.
Birmingham-based construction firm Robins & Morton has begun work on the project following a groundbreaking ceremony Friday at the former West Meighan Complex, where city officials, project partners and community stakeholders gathered to mark the start of construction.
Planned along West Meighan Boulevard, the nearly 29-acre development will feature a two-story, 120,000-square-foot recreation center as part of a larger athletic campus expected to include 161,000 square feet of indoor athletics and extensive outdoor amenities.
When complete, the Gadsden Athletic Center will include eight hardwood basketball courts with overlays for volleyball and pickleball, an indoor aquatics center featuring a six-lane, 25-yard competition pool and a zero-entry leisure pool, a large fitness center, flexible meeting and party spaces, and a family entertainment center with arcade games, duckpin bowling and sports simulators.
Outdoor amenities will include four natural grass 300-foot baseball and softball fields, 12 pickleball courts, playground areas, walking trails, green space, pavilions and parking.
Robins & Morton is serving as construction manager for the project, while Chambless King Architects designed the facility. Construction is expected to be completed next year.
Mayor Craig Ford said the project represents a major investment in the city’s future.
“Breaking ground on this complex is a proud moment for Gadsden,” Ford said. “This project reflects our commitment to creating more opportunities for recreation, wellness, and connection while investing in a destination that will support our community for years to come.”
Ford also said the center “will be a top-notch facility that is going to improve our quality of life in Gadsden while also benefitting our local economy.”
The Sports Facilities Companies (SFC) is partnering with the city on planning, marketing and operational preparation ahead of the center’s opening. Pre-opening efforts will include staff recruitment and training, operational planning, branding and sports tourism sales.
According to project projections, the facility is expected to host more than 100 events annually by its fifth year, including basketball, volleyball, aquatics, baseball, softball and pickleball competitions, along with meetings and community events.
Economic projections estimate the complex will generate more than $12 million in visitor spending during its first year of operation and nearly $20 million annually by year five, creating more than $80 million in cumulative economic impact over its first five years.
By the fifth year of operation, the project is also expected to support approximately 170 jobs annually through facility operations and visitor-related community employment.
Construction Program Management Division Manager Steve Olson called the project “an investment in the health, vitality and future of our community.”
Chambless King Architects principal Michael Shows said the project is designed to create a lasting impact on the city.
“This groundbreaking is proof the vision cast by Mayor Ford and city leadership is happening,” Shows said. “This project will provide a premier recreational environment that will improve the quality of life for every resident and change this community forever.”
