Trine University Opens $6M Inflatable 'Thunder Dome'
Trine University opened the doors to its new training facility on campus Thursday morning.
The university first announced plans to open the $6 million facility in August 2025. The 92,000 square foot inflatable ‘Thunder Dome’ is located just south of the athletics and recreation center on current soccer and football practice fields. It includes artificial turf and can accommodate bleachers as needed.
University leaders also said the dome’s controlled environment will help athletes compete and train, despite extreme weather. University President Tony Kline also said the facility will benefit the entire community.
“We’re fortunate that we have great relationships with Angola and the region at large,” Kline said. “For the Thunder dome, we hope to have students beyond the Trine students in the summers. We hope to invite camps and for community members to come in... for K-12 students to use this for athletic camps in the summers.”
Cookesville Indoor Soccer Facility Celebrates Grand Opening
The Eleven, Cookeville’s first indoor soccer facility, will celebrate its beginning with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, July 23, from 4 to 4:30 p.m. at 1100 Chocolate Drive in Cookeville.
“Founded by Elizabeth and Anthony Warlick through the Joseph Warlick Memorial Foundation, The Eleven honors their son’s love of the game and his legacy as a number 11,” according to a release.
The facility features:
- State-of-the-art indoor turf fields for soccer training and pickup games
- Flexible meeting and event space
- Full ADA accessibility
Moundsville/Marshall County Break Ground on New Rec Center
As the ground was broken on Cedar Avenue in Moundsville for the upcoming Moundsville/Marshall County Indoor Recreation Center, ground already was being moved on the project.
As city, county and construction officials got up to speak during Wednesday afternoon’s ceremony, they sometimes had to pause as a dump truck carrying new piles of earth rumbled behind the group.
“We can’t hold up progress,” Moundsville City Manager Rick Healy said with a smile.
That progress already being witnessed on the former Sanford Elementary School site gave those in attendance Wednesday an even better feeling. The ceremony wasn’t just about hope, but in celebrating a project already under way.
The $4.9 million facility will sit in almost the geographic center of Moundsville, giving families all around the center the opportunity to walk and bike to enjoy its amenities. And Healy said there were be many.
To subscribe to the free daily e-newsletter offering the latest industry news, products and insights from — and written for — the athletics, fitness and recreation industries, see below on this page, or click here
