KemperSports, a leading sports, entertainment and hospitality company, has been selected by the City of Saraland, Alabama, to provide consulting services for the design and development of the city’s new multi-use sports complex.
KemperSports’ experience in sports complex design and property development will help Saraland achieve its goal of building a sports complex that provides enhanced recreational programming for its residents and attracts visitors from across the country by capitalizing on the significant and sustained increase in travel driven by people’s desire to attend or participate in sports-related events and activities. Upon completion, the Saraland Sports Complex will host youth and amateur sports tournaments and events and offer amenities and recreational opportunities for local families and community members.
“We are honored to be selected by the leaders of Saraland to partner with their team and help develop a state-of-the-art sports entertainment facility that will serve their community and the region for many years to come,” said KemperSports CEO Steve Skinner. “The impact a facility like this can have on a local community through sports travel and tourism is substantial.”
The Saraland Sports Complex is planned to feature an indoor recreation center and an expansive outdoor venue. The recreation center will include four indoor basketball courts, eight indoor volleyball courts, an indoor track, fitness center, family entertainment center, and adaptable event spaces complete with food and beverage amenities. The outdoor complex will host football, field hockey, lacrosse, and soccer on five multi-purpose fields and baseball and softball on eight diamonds, one of which will be a 400-foot regulation-size field. The complex will also have six tennis courts, pickleball courts, a beach volleyball court, and full-service concessions.
“We have selected an outstanding partner in KemperSports to work with us and provide their proven expertise in developing our new recreation center and sports complex in the great City of Saraland,” said Saraland Mayor Dr. Howard Rubenstein. “The KemperSports Venues team has demonstrated a great passion for our project and community, and we look forward to getting started.”
Steve Goris, Senior Vice President of KemperSports Venues, a division of KemperSports that develops and manages youth, amateur and recreation sports facilities nationwide, will lead KemperSports’ consulting services for the project. KemperSports Venues delivers premier sports experiences for athletes, coaches, parents and guests through its expanding portfolio of multi-sport complexes. These experiences include industry-leading tournaments and events, nationally recognized club programs and engaging recreation programming that benefit and positively impact local communities.
“Our client-centric approach, along with our experience working with municipalities to identify revenue opportunities and operational efficiencies, will ultimately help enhance the guest experience, which will add long-term value to the Saraland Sports Complex,” Goris said. “We look forward to creating a special venue that serves as both a pillar in the Saraland community and as a national sports and entertainment destination.”
“The KemperSports team understands the intricacies of creating a premier multi-sport facility centered around the needs of our community,” said Ashley-Nicole Flowers, Parks and Recreation Director. “They have a great vision for executing our project and recognize what goes into designing and building an optimal sports complex to ensure it meets our local market needs and supports our investment. Their ability to anticipate potential challenges during the construction phase and work collaboratively with our program manager and architect will help us make informed decisions throughout the development process, ensuring we create the best sports complex for the residents and visitors of Saraland.”
In addition to facility design consulting and construction oversight, KemperSports will assist Saraland in assessing its current parks and recreational facilities and will make recommendations on how to enhance future programming opportunities at the new sports complex as well as identify how the facilities can be utilized to serve additional community needs. Further, KemperSports will provide brand design and development, public relations, and marketing consultation services to promote the development of the complex and its anticipated groundbreaking this year. The projected project completion date is set for spring 2025.