Indoor sports complex planned on the east side

By Jodi Schwan

A 22,000-square-foot indoor sports complex featuring areas for basketball, baseball, volleyball and other sports activities that includes a new daycare will start construction at what’s projected to become a busy east-side intersection.

SportGames Center is a dream more than a decade in the making for owner Del Waltner, who founded his business as Sport Court of Sioux Falls in 1996. It’s evolved into SportGames LLC, as the business broadened from selling Sport Court flooring and other products to offering wall and ceiling mounted basketball hoops, batting cages and netting, volleyball equipment, scoreboards and simulators.

“We’ve basically morphed into a ‘sports equipment company’ due to our experience in both residential and commercial projects,” Waltner said. “Over 85 percent of our business has been word of mouth. It’s going to be fantastic after being in the business as long as we have to be able to showcase all our products.”

SportGames Center logo

That’s part of the idea behind SportGames Center, which will start construction soon at the southwest corner of East 41st Street and Highway 100.

It will offer indoor and outdoor athletic facilities for teams and individuals. The building will include a 60-foot by 100-foot turfed and netted area for baseball, softball, soccer, lacrosse and other sports played on grass. Another identically sized area will be an indoor court with six basketball hoops, volleyball equipment and shooting machines. A third area can be subdivided and will include golfing and hunting simulators.

Outside there will be a large Sport Court and a playground with special play turf.

“Being steps away from Harmodon Park means easy access to bike and walking paths as well as additional playgrounds there,” Waltner said, adding the baseball and softball complex draws 300,000 visitors annually.

He anticipates renting space to teams for practice, individuals who need space to work out, groups wanting it for parties and other events and individually through public open hours.

What made the model work, though, was connecting with Jeremy and Misty Cotton, owners of Truks-N-Trykes Playcare.

“It really didn’t come to the scale it is now until we were put together,” Waltner said.

The daycare will be the third for the Cottons, who opened their second last December and have been in the industry since 2010.

“Because it’s going to be attached to full-size gyms, it’s going to have a vast amount of large motor skill and physical fitness opportunities,” Misty Cotton said. “Children won’t just be in classrooms. There will be a wide variety of fitness opportunities throughout the day. We have full access to everything he’s planning. That’s unheard of.”

She expects to be able to accommodate up to 80 kids ages two through 12.

She will be hiring a director soon and anticipates needing at least four full-time teachers and several part-time. Staff also might pick up hours helping with activities and events at the SportGames Center.

The plan is to open the complex in mid-August. The building is designed to be built fast and will include insulated panels, geothermal heating and LED lighting.

“It needs to open before school starts,” Cotton said. “I think parents will really appreciate the mobility kids will have during the day.”

More development planned

Expect the intersection to become a highly developed one.

Kum & Go recently purchased two acres there for a new location, adjacent to the main entrance for Harmodon Park.

An office for Harr-Lemme Real Estate is under construction.

A building under construction will become the new corporate office forte, which includes the company’s development and construction arms.

The firm is moving east from its location at 41st Street and Sycamore Avenue, which is leased.

“We had explored a few other options for a new location and decided that a new building at 41st Street and SD 100 was a great location and a great opportunity to kick-start that development,” said Joel Ingle, real estate and development associate. “The new building is being constructed in more of a retail style, with the intent that as the area develops we can relocate and re-lease the space to potential tenants.”

The plan is to move in September, he said.

About six acres are still available.

“We are convinced that it’s a perfect location for a neighborhood sports bar and restaurant and would love to see that use in time,” Ingle said. “There seems to be some interest from the standpoint of hotel development as well. The SportGames concept is interesting and should be very successful for the area. We are excited about the traffic and synergy that type of business will bring.”

The remaining land has some pretty incredible Highway 100 frontage,” said Ryan Tysdal of Lloyd Cos., who has the land co-listed with Kent Huisken of Harr-Lemme.

“There’s a buzz about being on Highway 100.  It’s what’s driven retail activity at Dawley Farm Village, and we’re now seeing the same effect on other corners along 100.”

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Indoor sports complex planned on the east side

A 22,000-square-foot indoor sports complex featuring areas for basketball, baseball, volleyball and other sports activities will start construction soon at what’s projected to become a busy east-side intersection.

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