Multimillion-dollar Madras sports complex in the works

A new multimillion-dollar sports complex may break ground in Madras, due to the efforts of Ji m Weyermann, the new director at the Madras Aquatic Center Recreation District.

Weyermann previously worked for the Golden State Warriors as vice president of franchise development. He heard about the open position at MACRD while watching news coverage of the solar eclipse last year.

Now, only two months into his new position, he believes he’s only weeks away from nearing the end of the first part of a major project.

The site of the proposed $30 million to $40 million sports complex would be an expansion of the already existing 70-acre Juniper Hills Park.

Initial plans for a more than 125,000 square-foot complex include things like three new soccer fields, indoor soccer, more basketball courts, volleyball, badminton tournaments, a weight room and wellness center. There are also plans for an Olympic-sized ice-skating rink and storage facilities.

Weyermann said there are not enough sports facilities to meet the demands for all the kids in Central Oregon.

“People who are involved in youth sports understand the traveling sports concept, the tournament concept, but even with Bend, you have just a total number of teams based on your facilities that you are able to handle and manage in the course of a tournament. This allows the tournaments to grow and get bigger,” Weyermann said.

He also said the complex would be built without taxpayer money, and although he was not ready to share the name of the potential donor, they have spent many hours working out a list of stipulations the donor gave him before any funds will be donated.

Weyermann also said the project will create unique opportunities for sports training.

“These facilities have the ability to generate revenue, because people obviously need to be able to train at high-quality places across the county,” he said.

One of the key steps to this project’s success is a sustainability program, he said. Some ways he hopes to create that is by attracting NCAA sports tournaments, Olympic trials and membership fees.

But he said the most important thing for him is to create revenue for the real need. He wants a place for the kids who cannot afford the fee to have a quality and safe place to go and to participate in activities like any other kid.