First Pitch
Bally’s Corporation has shared plans and renderings for development of the area surrounding the forthcoming 33,000-seat, $2 billion Athletics stadium. Bally’s announced plans to develop 500,000 square feet of retail, dining and entertainment offerings, including a 2,500-seat theater for live performances. A 3,000-room hotel-casino with two towers is likewise planned for the 35-acre site on the corner of South Las Vegas Boulevard (“The Strip”) and East Tropicana Avenue.
Arizona State University has confirmed plans to spend a combined $135 million on a renovation of Desert Financial Arena and the construction of a new football practice facility adjacent to Mountain America Stadium. Arena renovations are projected to take up $100 million of the cost, with construction for both athletic department projects scheduled to start in January 2027. Planning will begin early next year.
Breaking Ground
Charlotte (N.C.) Christian School broke ground on the Saleh Athletic Center, a 53,000-square-foot complex designed to serve student-athletes and the wider school community. The new center will provide the school with a state-of-the-art hub for training, competition and community gatherings. The building will feature the school’s main gymnasium, an athletic performance center, a wrestling room, a multipurpose space, locker rooms, a Hall of Honor, a school store and concessions points of sale.
Grand Sierra Resort broke ground on a new 10,000-seat arena, which will serve as the home of the University of Nevada men’s basketball program beginning in 2027-28. The arena marks the first phase of the property’s $1 billion redevelopment project — the largest private capital investment in Reno’s history. The $435 million GSR Arena will span 300,000 square feet and feature premium hospitality clubs, suites and a central plaza.
Valley City State University in North Dakota began construction on the school’s new athletics facility. The Tharaldson Family Athletic Center will feature a spacious indoor turf practice area, a modern weight room, a fully equipped training room and new locker room facilities. The project is headlined by a $5 million lead gift from the Gary Tharaldson Family and is being funded entirely by private contributions through VCSU’s Forward Together Capital Campaign.
Grand Openings
Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., has opened the long-anticipated Scully Center. The 33,000-square-foot expansion of the Ferris Athletic Center was named in honor of Marlynn V. and William “Bill” P. Scully, whose philanthropy has long supported Trinity’s athletics programs and student scholarships. Highlights include the Kovas Squash Center, home to seven courts, and the Claire Slaughter Joyce Champions Terrace, a viewing and gathering space overlooking the action. The building also features a new field house, a gym, a cardio room, a viewing gallery, meeting rooms and coaches’ offices. Beyond varsity sports, the Scully Center was designed to serve the whole Trinity community.
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Department of Intercollegiate Athletics unveiled the school’s $45 million Vaqueros Performance Center. The VPC is a 45,000-square-foot facility that houses the football program and features state-of-the-art weight training, academic and sports medicine facilities for use by multiple teams. The facility also features two practice fields, one of which is the same synthetic turf used at Robert & Janet Vackar Stadium, and one of which is natural grass. The turf field is striped for both football and soccer.
