Chicago Construction News staff writer
The Sports Facilities Companies (SFC) will open or break ground on 11 sports and recreation venues across the United States in 2026, including two major destination-style projects in Illinois aimed at expanding the state’s capacity for tournament, community, and year-round athletic use.
Among the projects scheduled to open is Emerald Acres Sports Connection – Outdoor Campus in Mattoon, Ill., expected to debut in March 2026. The outdoor expansion will add synthetic-turf multipurpose fields, baseball and softball diamonds, and event lawn space along a lakefront site, completing the venue’s indoor–outdoor campus and supporting adjacent retail and dining development.
Also slated for completion is Scheels Sports Park at Legacy Pointe in Springfield, Ill., where eight outdoor fields are scheduled to open in May 2026. The fields will complement a 170,000-sq.-ft. indoor dome, creating a year-round complex for soccer, lacrosse, baseball, softball, and indoor court sports.
SFC operates more than 100 sports and recreation facilities nationwide, primarily municipally owned, and serves as an operating partner for public and institutional owners following construction. Responsibilities include daily operations, programming, tournament and event booking, marketing, and facility maintenance.
Across its managed portfolio, known as the SF Network, SFC reports more than 30 million guest visits annually. Several of the 2026 projects represent the final phase of multi-year construction programs, while others are entering early development with planned groundbreakings.
Beyond Illinois, 2026 openings are planned in Texas, Florida, New York, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Kentucky, including university facilities, municipal recreation centers, and large-scale tournament complexes. Two additional projects—in Odessa, Texas, and Gadsden, Alabama—are scheduled to break ground in 2026.
SFC executives say rising construction costs and operating pressures are leading more municipalities to separate ownership from operations, relying on professional facility managers once projects are delivered.
The company said it expects continued growth as cities and universities invest in sports-driven development and community recreation infrastructure.
