City leaders break ground on historic Kearney SportsPlex project

KEARNEY, Neb. — Excitement in Kearney is continuing to build around the biggest project in city history.

A groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday morning is helping to fuel anticipation for the Kearney SportsPlex. Voters approved the indoor sports facility in 2021, making the ceremony a milestone moment for city leaders like SportsPlex Manager Lauren Brandt.

“It’s a little surreal, but it feels so good. It’s the culmination of everyone’s hard work over the last several years," Brandt said. "This is just a celebration and now we can really get going.”

At 209,000 square feet, the SportsPlex will be 10 percent larger than the average Walmart and three times the size of Kearney’s new tennis center. City Manager Mike Morgan credits the community for supporting the $34 million project.

“Visitors come to Kearney and they ask me, 'how do you do all of this?' If you just look around at all of the major projects, and it’s all because the community supports us," Morgan said. "We understand money is money and it’s their money, and so we try to be good stewards of their money. I believe we’ve done that over the years.”

The design of the SportsPlex is known. It will offer a hardwood gym, a premium turf field, pickle ball courts and a track. But there’s still plenty that’s unknown.

“I think recreational, everybody understands it, but economically I don’t think we even have any idea how big it’s going to be," Morgan said. "With just the weekend events, the sales tax that will be generated.”

“We truly don’t even know what this is going to be to the community yet. That’s what’s going to unfold and I think that’s what makes it special," Brandt said. "I think, just the memories and everything that’s going to be created within the walls, that’s still to come.”

Construction is expected to take about a year and a half to complete.