A general manager has been hired to oversee a major project on Springfield's south side. SCHEELS Sports Park developers and The Sports Facilities Companies (SFC) announced the hiring of Brandon Doherty, who will oversee the operations.
The planned 70-acre multisport outdoor and indoor sports park will be located behind the SCHEELS superstore on South MacArthur Boulevard in Springfield, just north of the Interstate 72 interchange.
Doherty comes to Springfield from Starkville, MS, where he served as the general manager of the Cornerstone Sports Complex.
“We are so excited to have recruited Brandon to Springfield to hit the ground running so that when the sports park opens, we are ready to serve our local athletes during the week and welcome thousands of families and their kids to the capital city to play and watch the sports they love and bring a giant boost to our local hotels and businesses,” said Dirk McCormick, SCHEELS Sports Park developer.
“I am thrilled to be in Springfield, and I’m already rolling up my sleeves to help make this the best sports park in the region,” said Doherty, general manager of the SCHEELS Sports Park. “I have seen how these sports complexes can transform communities, and I am excited to help in all the ways I can getting things set up so we’re ready to play in 2025.”
Doherty has over 15 years of experience as a director, educator, and coach. He has a master’s degree in recreation administration from Aurora University, has served as an instructor at the Outdoor Wisconsin Leadership School, and helped launch a leadership school in Carlisle, PA.
Since the groundbreaking at the sports park site last year, work has continued. Officials say crews are installing more than two miles of underground water, storm and sanitary sewer lines. This month and as long as weather permits, crews are starting work on the foundation for the Springfield Clinic DOME, parking lots, fields and electric work.
The park is a public-private development funded by the developers, private investors, and a portion of the City of Springfield’s local hotel-motel tax and sales tax. Other local government bodies (Springfield District 186, Sangamon County, Springfield Park District, SMEAA Board, SMTD, Springfield Airport Authority, Lincoln Land Community College and Capital Township) also took action that allowed this project to move forward.
In addition to many private sponsors and donors, the top private donors for this project include Pinnacle Partners, SCHEELS and Springfield Clinic. Springfield Clinic will serve as the official health and performance partner. The next level, Vision Partners, includes Bank of Springfield and Mammoth Sports Construction.
Construction has already begun on a new hotel, Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, at Legacy Pointe. It will be located next to the SCHEELS Sports Complex. The multi-million-dollar hotel will have 91 rooms with amenities.
“We are so grateful for all of the work that continues to happen in this remarkable public-private partnership to make this sports park a reality for Springfield,” Misty Buscher, Springfield mayor. “I believe this sports park and the families it will bring to our beautiful city will be a boost to our local businesses, and our economy, and we will all get to enjoy everything that this sports park will bring to the capital city.”
Officials say Springfield area athletes and their families should anticipate usage of the DOME and outdoor fields after their completion, which is planned for Fall 2025. Tournaments will be planned to begin in Spring 2026.
SCHEELS SPORTS PARK:
Major aspects of the complex include:
- A 190,000-square-foot indoor dome that can be configured at different times for basketball courts, volleyball courts, a soccer field, performance and turf training areas.
- Outdoor facilities will include lighted, multipurpose turf fields for baseball, softball, football and soccer fields.
In addition to the tournaments that will be hosted at the sports park on the weekends, there are several local user groups that have already signed up to utilize the facilities including Springfield District 186, the Springfield Park District, Springfield Area Soccer Association (SASA) and The Hitting Center.
The facility is expected to host 60 to 100-team tournaments on weekends year-round. The multi-use complex will feature a 196,000-square-foot indoor dome and a full-size championship field with a stadium-style framework. In addition to numerous diamonds for baseball and softball, the park will boast state-of-the-art all-turf fields that can support soccer, football, rugby, and lacrosse, while sports court spaces will allow for basketball, pickleball, wrestling, cheer and dance, and volleyball. The venue has a vendor area and special event spaces for corporate events, concerts, and community fairs, and more. The development plan includes an outdoor food truck bar, pavilion, picnic area, playground, and walking path, plus an indoor performance and fitness area with a hitting center and a state-of-the-art administration building that will host the medical center, restrooms, and concessions. To learn more, visit www.legacypointe.net.
