Marion, Illinois’, sports center, the Hub, is scheduled to open in January and will offer local residents, as well as traveling athletes and families, a quality recreation opportunity, while also bolstering the local economy.
The Hub Community Recreation Center (http://www.thehubmarion.com/index) in Marion, IL, began construction earlier this year as the need for places to play and be healthy increase around the country. Reportedly, locations for families to recreate are diminishing rapidly around the country. (1) The “Hub” is scheduled to open its doors to meet this demand in Marion, IL in January.
The Sports Facilities Management (SFM) – the management arm of the Sports Facilities Advisory (http://www.sportadvisory.com/) (SFA) – is guiding the development and management of the operation in an effort to provide a reliable recreation option for families in the area. Jason Clement, Co-Founder and COO of SFA|SFM reported the progress of the development on Monday to public officials.
“The Hub is on plan to set the standard for Recreation Centers in Illinois and the Midwest,” Clement shared. “It is poised to open at the right time with first class amenities to serve the surrounding community with excellence.”
The Hub will be the first facility of its kind in the area and will feature a full-sized gymnasium; a 25-meter, six-lane pool; a therapy pool, as well as a recreation pool featuring a waterslide, lazy river, vortex, wading area complete with a splash fountain, and basketball and volleyball courts; an expansive fitness gym upstairs; and more.
According to local officials and Hub representatives, the center’s appeal to a large consumer base, targeting potential members in a 30-mile radius, has resulted in over 300 members 90 days prior to opening.
Hillary LeHew, a former WSIL-TV reporter, now serves as the Hub’s marketing and business development director – LeHew maintains that the Hub’s potential to not only capitalize on the rising youth sports trend, but also its ability to serve as a community mainstay makes it a unique and positive addition to the area:
“It really is going to be a community center where people can come as a family or individuals and be a part of the Hub,” LeHew said. (2)
Mayor Bob Butler previously commented on the facility’s groundbreaking as a “significant chapter in Marion’s history,” adding that talks of a community recreation center have been a topic for several years. (3)
While the facility is still under construction, the HUB has hired a qualified leadership team poised to help create a safe haven for children and families wishing to take part in sports recreation — the center’s facilities will be utilized for sports leagues, camps and tournaments.
Current General Manager Martin Holleley will be seeing Hub through its grand opening and will then take leave to support his wife through health concerns. Several prospective applicants are currently going through the interview process to replace Holleley as long-term General Manager.
SFA|SFM developed the Hub’s business model, management plan, economic impact and cash flow forecast – the company’s management team assumed day-to-day operational responsibility, including the booking and management of memberships, leagues, tournaments and events, as well as managing facilities to support its government client’s objectives.
“The Hub is a safe facility that we believe will not only benefit the local economy and bring athletes and their supporters to [Marion], but will also encourage local families to enjoy the amenities and create a real sense of community in the area,” said SFM Vice President Jack Adams.
The Hub is currently searching for new members to join its elite team, and is set host several upcoming job fairs to fill 10 full-time positions and over 40 part-time positions depending on the season. For more information, visit www.thehubmarion.com/employment.
For more information about SFA|SFM and the available suite of planning-funding-opening-management services, visit www.sportadvisory.com.
About Sports Facilities Advisory and Sports Facilities Management (SFA|SFM): The Sports Facilities Advisory and Sports Facilities Management (SFA|SFM) is the leading resource in sports facility planning and management. SFA|SFM has helped to plan, fund, open and manage many multimillion-dollar sports complexes in communities throughout the USA and internationally since its founding in 2003. The expansive growth youth team sports and sports-related tourism has necessitated better quality facility management. SFA’s proprietary data system—based on years of planning, funding and managing facilities, coupled with the rise of the youth sports segment—is the engine behind the development of SFM. Since its recent inception, SFM has already become an industry leader in the managing of amateur sports and events complexes, and along with SFA, provides the planning, financing and management expertise needed to turn ideas into successful recreation facilities. SFA|SFM serves both public and private clients. Its services fall into four main categories: plan, fund, open and manage, which encompass every phase from early stage feasibility studies to preparing financing documents, overseeing development and opening and full-time management services. SFA|SFM’s success depends upon its mission to dramatically improve communities through the opening or optimization of sports and recreation centers. For more information, visit www.sportadvisory.com/home.html.
Spengler, J.O., and Ori Baber. Places to Play: A Summary of Key Characteristics of the Built Environment That Support “Sport for All, Play for Life” Communities. Rep. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
Mariano, Nick. "Big Plans in the Future for Marion Rec Center." N.p., 19 Apr. 2014. Web. 17 Oct. 2014. thesouthern.com/news/local/communities/marion/big-plans-in-the-future-for-marion-rec-center/article_96e2f98f-e4cf-59d6-9971-00ba2232801e.html.
Testa, Adam. “Marion Readies New Rec Center.” The Southern. N.p., 12 June 2013. Web. 21 Aug. 2014. thesouthern.com/news/local/marion-readies-new-rec-center/article_2046a04e-d316-11e2-b772-0019bb2963f4.html.
Please login to post comments