City of Dublin
Lacrosse. Soccer. Golf. Dublin loves sports, and now, the city is set to become home to one of the leading sports complexes in the country.
In July 2024, the City of Dublin announced a strategic land acquisition of 243 acres, including SportsOhio, Shepherd Excavating and Carter Farms. Now, the pieces are in place to begin master planning a premier athletic complex that embodies both recreation and economic vibrancy.
Mitchell Briant, executive director with Dublin Youth Athletics, says this development will enhance opportunities for kids to engage with their peers through sports.
City of Dublin
“We know the value of sports. We know that you learn about teamwork, you learn about resilience, you learn about sportsmanship. That’s really important, and that takes these kids to the next level,” Briant says. “So having SportsOhio here is going to allow us to expand the amount of kids that we get to serve, and that’s a really exciting thing.”
Briant serves on the initiative’s steering committee, assembled by City Manager Megan O’Callaghan. Alongside Briant, the committee includes representatives from City Council, Visit Dublin Ohio, OhioHealth, Ohio University, the Memorial Tournament and others.
Kristine Gross is a Dublin resident of 11 years, as well as a mother and former youth coach. While her kids are now adults, she still remembers having to drive to other states for their tournaments. Gross says she is enthusiastic about the investment SportsOhio and youth sports in Dublin, hoping the renewed facility will serve as a “crowning jewel” for the city and inspire pride in its residents.
“It warms my heart every Saturday morning to drive by Avery Park and see all the little ones playing soccer and those beautiful fields over there,” Gross says. “We have an opportunity not only to utilize that space but to draw people to Dublin.”
City of Dublin
She sees the athletic complex as a chance for the city to bring in visitors not only to the venue itself, but also to Dublin’s many parks and events.
“This could be an economic catalyst for development,” she says. “There’s tons of people that are parents, and they notice that this is great. I think this could be huge for the city.”
Another steering committee member looking toward the possibilities of the facility is Scott Dring, president and CEO of Visit Dublin Ohio, the city’s tourism marketing group.
“If you combine Darree Fields and SportsOhio, it’ll be the third largest facility (of its kind) in the entire country,” Dring says. “The potential is endless.
“The major benefit of this facility is there’s nothing like this in central Ohio. It will be very unique to Dublin,” he notes, adding that surrounding cities will also benefit from the facility’s location.
"There's nothing like this in central Ohio. It will be very unique to Dublin."
City of Dublin
According to Dring, one of the key ways that the sports complex will contribute to Dublin’s economy is through the City’s Hotel/Motel Tax Fund. This tax on overnight stays goes directly to the City, providing funding for groups such as the Dublin Arts Council and signature events like the City’s parades, the Independence Day Celebration and more.
Generally, bringing visitors to the city, especially vibrant mixed-use areas such as Bridge Park, helps keep businesses thriving. Each April, Dublin hosts its biggest youth sports tournament of the year, the Nike Challenge Cup, which alone brings “close to $4-5 million of economic impact that is generated for the City of Dublin,” Dring says about the competitive soccer match.
To bring the vision to life, the City is partnering with Sports Facilities Companies based on the steering committee’s recommendation after reviewing proposals from a variety of sports facility management professionals. The company operates seven of the top 10 sports complexes in the nation, and O’Callaghan says their work goes beyond just creating a space for visitors.
“Sports Facilities Companies has a strong history of collaborating with residents and being a true partner to the communities they serve,” she notes. “They understand how to balance a facility that supports local events and recreation with the kind of large-scale events that drive the economic impact we’re aiming for.”
Dring is a father of three who has lived in Dublin for more than two decades.
“There’s a huge need that I’ve always seen in the community. I think as a Dublin resident, this really opens up for great opportunities to provide facilities that we didn’t have in the past,” he says. “This facility is going to really help raise the experience of our youth, providing them a world-class facility to play whatever sports they want to play.”
City of Dublin
While the complex is still in its planning stages, it is poised for economic development successes as Dring and Visit Dublin Ohio are already working to attract partners and organize events.
“We’ve always been a sports destination,” he says. “This is nothing new for us: we’ve been selling Dublin as a sports destination for 25 years.”
As a resident, Gross says she trusts in the City’s ability to create a tourist destination while still benefiting the local community.
City of Dublin
“I love how well this city is run. The people that are in charge of this city really care about it,” she notes. “I think that the City does a really good job managing its budget. I have confidence that they would do it the right way.”
The broadened facility will include indoor and outdoor spaces, providing an opportunity to host events year-round. This will also offer practice space inside during colder months, supporting local team development.
“Dublin feels real. Nothing compares to the beautiful outdoor spaces that Dublin has,” Gross says. “These kids are playing sports — let’s have them play in our own backyard and attract other people to come play, too.”
Zaina Shaik is an intern for the City of Dublin. Feedback welcome at cpi@dublin.oh.us.
