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I think that Shawnee accommodates soccer nicely. The area needs a diverse offering when it comes to sports. I like that they thought about basketball and volleyball tournaments. Currently the area doesn't have a venue large enough for those sports on that scale. One full size soccer field would take up the entire building.
We need to also remember that this is not just for visitors, but our location population to utilize. People want a place to play rec league basketball, have swim lessons, or run around a track. This will accommodate that.
It certainly isn't perfect, but it is a major improvement upon what the area currently has.
Morgantown has an indoor soccer facility with multiple fields that local families have to travel to Dec thru March. The indoor fields are not full sized. The place stays packed on weekends with folks from WV, OH, PA, MD.
Charleston area folks are still going to have to make that drive until we get something like that for indoor tournaments.
Morgantown has an indoor soccer facility with multiple fields that local families have to travel to Dec thru March. The indoor fields are not full sized. The place stays packed on weekends with folks from WV, OH, PA, MD.
Charleston area folks are still going to have to make that drive until we get something like that for indoor tournaments.
Maybe that's something that the county should look into at Shawnee, but I think that they did a pretty good job with what they had to work with in downtown. This will still bring lots of people for sports tournaments, and it will bring them right in the heart of the city. I'm not a city/county commision apologist by any stretch, but I think they utilized this space well, and they left the CTC intact to be redeveloped into further things that can attract people downtown again. There's still plenty of room for a new theater, bowling, laser tag, indoor zip lines, restaurants, etc...
Maybe add something like a Main Event or Buster's even if it is on a smaller scale than some of their facilities. Families will want something to do during their "down time" during tournaments.
Maybe add something like a Main Event or Buster's even if it is on a smaller scale than some of their facilities. Families will want something to do during their "down time" during tournaments.
I agree!
Last weekend I went to the mall in Syracuse. That place truly is a destination! The last time I was there was back in 2005, and it was a big mall at that time. Since then, they have build onto it and have really drawn in loads of entertainment options. They have everything under the sun! There's a Dave and Busters, Apex Entertainment, a movie theater, indoor go cart place, huge escape room place, mirror maze, giant tree top canopy type obstacle course, trampoline place, huge RC racing room, and hundreds of other stuff. They have restaurants like Margaritaville, Jonny Rockets, PF Changs, Cheesecake Factory, etc...
If the CTC could get a fraction of what this mall had, it would be huge!
I hope this does provide an opportunity to bring in some new stores to the other areas of the mall. I hate going to corridor G and I’m not a big online shopper. I’m beyond thankful that JCPenney’s is still there. If a few other stores could be added, I’d be pretty happy.
I was a teen when the mall was built so naturally I have a certain attachment to it. It was an impressive structure. I’m not sure if I personally will ever utilize the sports complex but I’m happy something is being done and hopeful it allows some of the mall to survive.
Maybe that's something that the county should look into at Shawnee, but I think that they did a pretty good job with what they had to work with in downtown. This will still bring lots of people for sports tournaments, and it will bring them right in the heart of the city. I'm not a city/county commision apologist by any stretch, but I think they utilized this space well, and they left the CTC intact to be redeveloped into further things that can attract people downtown again. There's still plenty of room for a new theater, bowling, laser tag, indoor zip lines, restaurants, etc...
The soccer brings in the people and the people bring the money. If they could house indoor tournaments it would boost the hotels and restaurants. I’m looking at these pickle ball courts and wondering why have so much space dedicated to pickle ball and all these bikes and treadmills. Just seems like a waste of space there when a proven revenue source could be achieved.
Now the swimming pool if it is olympic sized will draw in big dollars for meets if they do that.
Just not sure about the angle on some of this. They are wanting to sell memberships for locals to use fitness equipment but we’ve already got so many gyms.
The focus needs to be on bringing in people who will stay, shop and eat to boost what we have and bring in things we don’t.
I see your point on the pickle ball courts and other fitness activities but maybe they are hoping to draw a before and after work clientele.
I cannot imagine it not being an Olympic size pool but strange things happen in government. I know the drawings posted were preliminary but the one of the pool looked like it ran up against the wall and there was no way to see if there was seating or how much. Nothing as miserable as a large swimming meet with no seating unless it is an outdoor track meet where it is raining and/or freezing cold.
These things that could be corrected if everything is done in the open and not behind closed doors.
Financing in these tough times could also slow it down but I certainly hope not. This is sorely needed.
There was a follow-up article I read that said the mall is getting many inquiries almost immediately about available space for restaurants, et al. That is a good indication of how important this project is for Charleston.
According to the news articles it is an olympic pool. And it does have seating. This will bring in folks from out-of-town and is exactly something that is needed.
I just don’t get all the pickle ball and exercise space. Not when they could capitalize on travel tourney soccer. They could have the place packed on weekends with overnight guests spending money if they could have even just two fields.
The soccer brings in the people and the people bring the money. If they could house indoor tournaments it would boost the hotels and restaurants. I’m looking at these pickle ball courts and wondering why have so much space dedicated to pickle ball and all these bikes and treadmills. Just seems like a waste of space there when a proven revenue source could be achieved.
Now the swimming pool if it is olympic sized will draw in big dollars for meets if they do that.
Just not sure about the angle on some of this. They are wanting to sell memberships for locals to use fitness equipment but we’ve already got so many gyms.
The focus needs to be on bringing in people who will stay, shop and eat to boost what we have and bring in things we don’t.
The area already has a decent soccer complex at Shawnee. It has already proven to bring in millions of dollars, thousands of visitors, and several high profile soccer tournaments. What the area currently doesn't have is an up to date, public, and place for families to go. This facility meets that need. Not every family is into soccer, it's just a fact.
The new facility will cater heavy to basketball and volleyball. Those 2 sports also have a large share of the travel tournament market, but require much less space! That seems like a pretty good idea to me.
Pickleball is among the fastest growing sports in the nation. The city/county is actually looking toward the future for once. Those 8 courts do not take up a whole bunch of space in the grand scheme of things.
The pool is Olympic sized (50 meters). Now one thing I would like to see modified is space for diving, and a splash zone for kids. I feel that there's a missed opportunity if the do not have those things. Maybe some of the space in front of the mall entrance (old court are in front of Macey's entrance).
The fitness center is a perfect idea. People are always looking for places to work out, and Charleston lacks nice gyms. Having that at the CTC will keep a steady stream of people coming to the mall all 7 days of the week. I don't know why anyone would think that would be a bad idea.
Overall I am pleased with this. They are doing something, and that is more important than them sitting on their hands like they've done for decades!
I'm glad to see everybody discussing this. Just like the baseball park and the Shawnee sports complex, this will be a huge thing for the community. I heard yesterday that the Olympic size pool with spectator seating is something that will likely get used for events that currently have nowhere nearby to go. (The Mountain East Conference has used swimming facilities at WVU because they had no suitable facilities at member schools.) College swim teams need such a facility. College volleyball has also gotten to be much more significant than it used to be. This place can host tournaments.
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