From vacant malls and casinos to aging venues and crowded practice spaces, sports facilities are finding new life through adaptive reuse
Follow the latest sports facility developments with Breaking Ground.
DePaul University breaks ground on new athletics practice facility
DePaul University has officially broken ground on a $42.4 million athletics practice facility expected to open in fall 2027. Located at the corner of Sheffield and Belden, across from Sullivan Athletic Center and McGrath-Phillips Arena, the project marks a significant step in the university’s efforts to strengthen its athletics infrastructure. The facility received City Council approval in December following years of opposition from community groups and preservationists.
The new building will feature dedicated practice courts for DePaul’s men’s and women’s basketball teams, giving both programs expanded space for training, operations and player development. Currently, all 15 university athletic programs share courts at McGrath-Phillips Arena, creating scheduling challenges. Basketball coaches said the new facility will provide athletes with more consistent access to practice space and help position DePaul more competitively within the Big East.
Beyond basketball, the first floor will support the health and wellness of all student-athletes through training, recovery, sports medicine, performance support and nutrition services. Funded through athletics’ corporate partnerships and fundraising efforts, the facility is intended to improve recruitment, development and retention while creating a broader foundation for student-athlete success.
Ballymore Stadium redevelopment plan is for Olympic rugby
Ballymore Stadium in Brisbane, Australia, is set for a major redevelopment following a significant investment from the Queensland Government. The project will replace the venue’s outdated Eastern Stand with the Teams in Gold Facility, a high-performance center for Rugby Australia’s Olympic Sevens and women’s programs. Construction is scheduled to begin later this year, further advancing Ballymore’s transformation into a world-class rugby precinct ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
The new facility will include a 2,400-seat grandstand, a fourth floodlit training field and upgraded lighting for the stadium’s main field. It will become the Brisbane base for Australia’s men’s and women’s Olympic Sevens programs, while also supporting the Wallaroos and Wallabies when they are in Queensland. Ballymore’s primary field will be upgraded into an 8,000-capacity multipurpose venue for community, domestic and international matches.
The redevelopment is expected to expand Ballymore’s event-hosting capabilities, including opportunities for rugby summits, championship matches and women’s competitions. With Brisbane preparing for the 2027 Rugby World Cup and future Bledisloe Cup fixtures, the project strengthens Queensland’s role in Australian rugby while creating new pathways for athlete development, community participation and sports tourism.
A dead mall in San Francisco could become a new sports complex
San Francisco’s shuttered 1.2-million-square-foot San Francisco Centre could receive a dramatic makeover under a proposal from Urban Land Development and TMG Partners. The developers have submitted a bid to transform the struggling downtown mall into a multilevel sports and entertainment destination designed to support downtown’s recovery. Plans include a sports-focused high school, basketball attractions, retail space and an underground food court. The property owners are reviewing multiple offers following the collapse of an earlier sale.
The proposed complex would include a basketball-centered entertainment zone with restaurants, a sports bar and interactive games, alongside facilities for private events and corporate gatherings. Additional plans call for six hardwood courts for training camps led by an organization founded by NBA coach Phil Handy, as well as an eight-court volleyball facility. Public access would focus on the lower floors, while upper levels would serve students, members and program participants.
The concept aims to create a new gathering place for downtown office workers, residents and visitors, introducing uses beyond the retail-heavy mix that has defined Mid-Market and Union Square. TMG, which would reportedly provide most of the project’s capital, has extensive Bay Area development experience. However, the bid remains subject to the ownership group’s review as developers navigate a challenging commercial real estate environment.
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Vacant Henderson, Nevada, casino site to be turned into indoor sports complex and hotel
Henderson, Nevada, is planning to transform the long-vacant Fiesta Casino site into a major indoor sports and hospitality destination. Agora Realty and Management plans to purchase the 35-acre property for $30 million, roughly matching what the city paid in 2022. The proposed development would feature a fieldhouse, welcome center, batting cages, offices, retail space and a 145-room hotel, pending a public hearing and approval of the purchase and development agreements.
The centerpiece would be a large tournament facility featuring more than two dozen basketball and volleyball courts, batting cages and a multipurpose field supporting several outdoor sports. A retail area would include a restaurant, sporting goods store and medical center, creating a broader sports ecosystem designed to serve both local participants and visiting teams. The existing parking garage is expected to remain.
The project also strengthens Henderson’s sports tourism infrastructure by placing the hotel directly beside the sports complex, providing convenient accommodations for teams and visitors. City officials cite heavy demand for athletic facilities, with more than 100 existing sports fields reportedly booked about 99 percent of available hours. With the Fiesta property vacant for four years, redevelopment could add substantial indoor capacity while creating a new gateway destination for Henderson.
Virginia’s Radford University is preparing to unveil new esports facility
Radford University in Virginia is preparing to unveil a $1.2 million esports facility designed to support the school’s rapidly growing competitive gaming program. The 10,000-square-foot center, scheduled for a ribbon-cutting on Oct. 23, features 80 computers and provides students with a dedicated space to compete, connect and develop new skills. The program’s recent success includes a 2026 Big South championship runner-up finish and a Mid-Atlantic Esports Conference title in 2025.
The facility represents a significant expansion from the program’s original 1,500-square-foot room, which regularly reached capacity. Nearly 20 percent of Radford’s student body visited the space last year, and officials hope to engage approximately 25 percent of students during the 2026-27 academic year. The center is also being positioned as a recruitment tool for prospective students seeking a balance between academics and competitive gaming.
Beyond competition, Radford offers a 15-credit esports services minor with more than 100 students enrolled. University leaders emphasize that the program develops transferable skills, strengthens campus connections and creates opportunities beyond the esports industry. The facility is free to students and open daily from noon to midnight, supporting both organized competition and broader community engagement.
Veterans Stadium in Long Beach, California, demolished to make way for new facility
Long Beach City College has broken ground on a $250 million transformation of the Veterans Memorial Stadium site, marking the next chapter for a venue that served as the heart of Long Beach football for 70 years. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on Sept. 9, following the stadium’s final games in August. The redevelopment will replace the aging venue with a modern stadium while creating an 18-acre sports complex funded through Measure LB, an $850 million bond program supporting LBCC construction.
The new development will feature a 2,500-seat arena, football, soccer and track fields, basketball and volleyball courts, athletic training and rehabilitation facilities, offices, kinesiology classrooms and a hall of champions. The project is expected to be completed in 2029, expanding LBCC’s ability to host athletic events while providing facilities for student-athletes, schools and the broader community.
For Long Beach, the project also represents a significant transition from a landmark deeply connected to local sports history. Veterans Stadium hosted high school football championships, college and professional events, graduations and community gatherings, including the famed 2001 “Game of the Century.” Its replacement could preserve that regional role while creating a modern destination capable of supporting a broader range of sports and events.
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SPG Take
Some of the most interesting projects are not simply about adding more courts, fields or seats but rather finding new purpose for places and programs that need to evolve.
Yet another dead shopping mall could become a sports and entertainment destination, turning a major piece of struggling downtown real estate into a community gathering place. Henderson is taking a similar approach by transforming a vacant casino site into a fieldhouse and hotel built around sports tourism. Even traditional athletics projects are responding to changing needs.
DePaul’s new practice facility addresses a very practical problem where too many teams are competing for too little space. Radford is investing in esports because its existing facility could no longer keep pace with demand. In Brisbane, a historic rugby venue is being repositioned for Olympic competition and long-term community use.
The future of sports facilities depends as much on adaptability and creative reuse as it does on new construction.
— Sports Planning Guide
