New arenas and sports complexes worldwide set to drive tourism, community engagement and growth
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San Antonio Spurs move forward with $1.3B downtown arena plan
The San Antonio Spurs are a step closer to a new downtown arena after the City Council approved a term sheet for Project Marvel, a $1.3 billion sports and entertainment district in Hemisfair. The plan includes a 17,000–18,500 seat arena, with construction expected to take up to 57 months. While Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones sought a pause, the council voted 4-7 to move forward, denying her resolution to delay. The non-binding term sheet outlines arena costs, ownership, parking, construction timeline and community engagement, marking a critical milestone for the Spurs and the city.
Under the agreement, the Spurs will contribute $500 million and cover any cost overruns, while the city would provide up to $489 million and Bexar County up to $311 million through a venue tax pending voter approval in November. The lease includes a non-relocation agreement and a $4 million annual rent, alongside $75 million in community benefits over the initial lease term. Plans also include third-party development for the broader entertainment district.
Spurs managing partner Peter Holt emphasized the project’s role in downtown revitalization, economic development and civic pride. He noted the arena will be publicly owned, funded by visitors and designed to benefit future generations without tapping local taxes. If approved by voters, the new arena aims to open by the start of the 2031–32 NBA season, replacing the Frost Bank Center as the Spurs’ home.
Cedar Park, Texas’ Perfect Game Complex resets timeline with 2027 groundbreaking
Perfect Game’s long-awaited headquarters and sports complex in Cedar Park, Texas, is officially back on track, with groundbreaking now targeted for 2027. Originally slated to begin in 2022, the 80-acre project has been restructured to better reflect current market conditions and the city’s rapid growth. The facility will anchor a prime location northeast of RM 1431 and Ronald Reagan Boulevard, in the heart of Cedar Park’s expanding commercial corridor.
The revised plan preserves the project’s original scope while adjusting its timeline. Highlights include 16 baseball and softball turf fields with spectator seating and amenities, supported by 30 acres of retail, dining and hotel development designed to serve tournament families and traveling teams. A 15,000-square-foot headquarters will consolidate Perfect Game’s scouting and operations in Central Texas, while tournaments are projected to draw between 500,000 and 750,000 visitors annually.
Even with delays, the economic outlook remains strong. City officials project more than $20 million in revenue over the first decade, positioning Cedar Park as a national hub for youth baseball and softball while driving tourism, hospitality and business growth.
Bengaluru, India, unveils 80,000-seat stadium and world-class sports complex
Bengaluru is poised to make a major splash in India’s sports landscape with plans for a new 80,000-seat stadium and accompanying world-class sports complex. Announced by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, the $187 million project will be built on 75 acres in Surya City, Bommasandra, positioning Bengaluru just behind Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium in capacity. The development aims to provide a modern hub for athletes and fans alike while reinforcing the city’s urban growth and international profile.
The sprawling complex will feature indoor and outdoor arenas, Olympic-size swimming pools, advanced training centers, and a state-of-the-art gym. Amenities will extend beyond sports, including guest houses, hostels, hotels and a convention hall capable of hosting international competitions and cultural events. Shivakumar emphasized that the project will not only nurture athletic talent but also elevate Bengaluru’s sporting culture and attract major tournaments, making it a focal point for both domestic and global events.
Construction is expected to begin soon, complementing recent investments such as the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, which boasts three playing grounds, 45 practice pitches and cutting-edge training and sports science facilities. Together, these initiatives signal Bengaluru’s growing ambition to become a premier destination for sports in India.
Indiana Fever break ground on new downtown Indianapolis training facility
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Illinois Basketball Academy announces new Chicago sports facility with dome and community programs
The Illinois Basketball Academy is expanding its footprint into Chicago with a new sports facility planned near the United Center. The project will occupy property that requires demolition of a one-story industrial building to make way for the new development. This will mark the Academy’s first Chicago-based facility, complementing its existing 57,000-square-foot West Suburban Sports Complex in Lisle.
Designed by Wefing Design Studio, the facility will feature a three-story support building connected to a long air-supported dome, which will enclose courts for basketball, soccer, lacrosse, flag football, volleyball and pickleball. The support building will include a restaurant and concession area on the first floor, a lounge and study space for teams on the second floor, and office space on the third floor. Together, these spaces will support both athletic and community programs, as well as tournaments and recreational league play.
The new facility will also partner with the CVC Foundation to deliver year-round programming for at-risk youth, including after-school programs, clinics and recreational leagues. Additional collaborations with local nonprofits, such as the Chicago Sport and Social Club, aim to make the space inclusive and community focused. The project is pending Zoning Board of Appeals approval for Participant Sports and Recreation Use, after which permitting and construction can proceed.
MOSI expansion could bring ice rink and hockey facility to Tampa, Florida
Hillsborough County, Florida, is exploring plans to further expand the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) site in Tampa, potentially adding a privately funded ice rink and hockey facility to the 67-acre property. Already home to MOSI, a planned tech and science hub, and a 174,000-square-foot indoor sports complex, the site is emerging as a major entertainment and sports destination. The county’s board voted unanimously to have staff study feasibility, citing potential synergies with nearby developments, including University of South Florida’s (USF) football stadium and former golf course redevelopment.
County officials and commissioners see the addition of an ice rink as a natural extension of the property’s growth. Board Chair Ken Hagan, a longtime advocate for sports facilities in the area, highlighted the potential for partnerships with the Tampa Bay Lightning and USF’s hockey team, referencing the success of the 150,000-square-foot Advent Health Center Ice in Wesley Chapel, the largest rink in the Southeast. An ice rink could host hockey, figure skating and other community and entertainment events.
Beyond recreation, officials anticipate the rink would generate substantial economic benefits. It could drive tourist development taxes, sales taxes and property taxes while complementing planned hotels, retail, and the entertainment wing at MOSI, which includes a planetarium, studio and black box theater. The project represents a strategic move to solidify Tampa’s growing reputation as a hub for sports and entertainment in the region.
Saudi Arabia has unveiled a $1.8 billion national athletics stadium in Riyadh for the 2034 FIFA World Cup
Saudi Arabia is moving forward with a landmark $1.8 billion project to build a National Athletics Stadium in Riyadh, part of the Qiddiya Sports Park development. Designed to host around 47,000 spectators, the venue is a centerpiece in the Kingdom’s ambitious sports infrastructure expansion ahead of the controversial 2034 FIFA World Cup. The stadium will be delivered through a public-private partnership (PPP) under a design, build, finance, operate and maintain model, with bids sought for earthworks, advanced MEP systems, climate-adaptive façades, renewable energy integration and digital twin-enabled project management.
Covering nearly 2 million square feet, the multipurpose stadium is inspired by London’s Olympic Stadium and will feature a ventilated roof, passive cooling, LED screens and flexible infrastructure for concerts, sports and community events. HOK leads design, supported by WSP, Schlaich Bergermann Partner and WT Partnership, emphasizing sustainable techniques suitable for Riyadh’s desert climate. The project aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, aiming to establish world-class venues that enhance leisure tourism, global sports stature and community engagement.
Set for completion by 2030, the stadium will complement the Kingdom’s broader sports agenda, including hosting the 2034 Asian Games and the 2029 Asian Winter Games at Trojena. The forecast is that the project will attract international investment, create new market opportunities and draw millions of visitors annually to help boost Saudi Arabia’s position as a global sports and entertainment hub.
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