If you have kids that play sports in Georgia, chances are you have been to or at least heard of LakePoint Sports. One of the largest sports facilities in the country, LakePoint hosts more than 30 sports (that’s their claim though thinking of 30 different sports seems like a difficult question). The 170,000 Champions Center with 12 full-court basketball courts is the world’s largest continuous wood floor. The Bartow County facility sits on a sprawling 1,300 acres and hosts some 1.1 million annual visitors.
On Thursday, they announced their next expansion, a $39 million, 200-room hotel, along with extended road infrastructure that will ultimately allow for additional development of 500 acres. The hotel will feature a resort-style pool and a restaurant with a roof top terrace above.
“We see unrivaled potential for growth and opportunity for the LakePoint Sports campus in traditional and emerging youth sports and entertainment,” said Mark M. O’Brien, President and CEO of LakePoint Sports. “Our vision is for a vibrant development that features experiential retail, acclaimed restaurants, new lodging opportunities for our guests, and an expansion of venues and fields to create a complete sports and entertainment experience for all who come here. The completion of the parkway is essential to opening up new development and increased visitation, economic impact and job creation.”
Governor Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp were on hand for the opening.
“Marty and I are proud of the work done by the LakePoint Sports team to create this nationally recognized youth sports destination,” said Kemp. “LakePoint Sports is a remarkable asset for greater Metro Atlanta and North Georgia, and we appreciate LakePoint Sports for promoting family time together, creating new jobs in our state, and encouraging young athletes to compete at the highest levels.”
LakePoint is in the town of Emerson in Bartow and their mayor, Al Pallone, also attended the opening. Pallone noted the economic impact of the hotel will be significant, creating hundreds of jobs, millions of dollars in tax revenue and approximately 50,000 room nights to the city and county per year. Those room nights mean people going out to eat, shopping and other economic activity that may not be available directly on the LakePoint property. The estimated annual economic impact is nearly $100 million.
“This has been a very strong public-private partnership at LakePoint Sports,” added Bartow County Commissioner Steve Taylor. “And we’re thrilled for what that means for the continued economic growth of our region.”
The facility also features eight Major League-sized baseball fields and three multi-use fields for soccer, lacrosse, rugby, football – and maybe 20 other sports. It is also home to a wake boarding park. LakePoint also happens to be the official home to the training camp of the Harlem Globetrotters, apparently it is not Harlem, and they will launch their world tour from the Champions Center in December.
