Sportsplex expected to bring entertainment, activity and more to Pulaski County

DUBLIN, Va. (WDBJ) - Pulaski County is finalizing plans on the long-awaited Sportsplex, a project that’s been in the works for 15 years.

At first glance, it doesn’t look like more than an empty candle factory sitting in the middle of Dublin. But the county has a big vision for it - The new center is expected to be the largest multi-use recreational facility in Virginia.

“Everything from Esports to robotics to line dancing, but also the opportunity to do a lot of competitive AAU style, travel visitation type sports.” said Pulaski County Administrator Jonathan Sweet.

The entirety of Sportsplex will include eight indoor basketball/volleyball/futsal courts, two indoor turf soccer fields, 26 total pickleball courts, a community weight room, cardio room, senior room, 1/5th of a mile indoor walking track, 110-meter indoor sprint track, two drop-down batting cages, an indoor Golf Institute, a full-service restaurant and more.

“There’s nothing like this anywhere around that we’re aware of with this indoor play space, where parents are going to be able to enjoy getting exercise and still watching their kids have fun and be healthy and interact and socialize,” said Sweet.

“We feel like we’ve captured it all from youth or active aging, got enough space for everyone,” said Pulaski County Parks and Recreation Director Shay Dunnigan.

When the plans were first made years ago, the goal was to create a space fostering health and wellness. But Sweet said the $10 million project has already become much more than that.

“It’s going to attract folks here, it’s going to keep folks here,” said Sweet. “But it’s going to give them a different quality of life that they can’t experience somewhere else.”

County administration is hopeful Sportsplex will be completed at the earliest during the summer of 2026 or the following winter at the latest.

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