SPRINGFIELD, MO. — The City of Springfield and the Springfield-Greene County Park Board have completed the months-long process of purchasing the Fieldhouse Sportscenter, 2235 W. Kingsley St. The Park Board assumed operation of the four-court sports facility effective Tuesday, Sept. 28.
Through Oct. 8, the Fieldhouse is closed to the public as Park Board staff installs technology, equipment and supplies needed to run the facility. The Fieldhouse reopens Oct. 9-10 for a prescheduled tournament, with youth basketball and volleyball league play beginning the week of Monday, Oct. 11.
After eight years of operation, the Fieldhouse’s former owners contacted the City of Springfield and the Park Board in January about purchasing the facility.
“Our motivation all along has been to keep the Fieldhouse in operation as a sports facility,” said Parks Director Bob Belote. “Two years ago, the Springfield Sports Commission identified indoor courts as Springfield’s top sports facility need. With this purchase, we can ensure the Fieldhouse remains in operation for basketball, volleyball and more for many years to come.”
In 2019, 1,319 teams played 11,000 basketball and volleyball games at the Fieldhouse. During the 2020 pandemic year, 934 teams continued to play. Belote says additional activities, including Pickleball, are planned for the facility.
Registration for fall youth basketball and volleyball leagues is open through Friday, Oct. 1:
Fall volleyball leagues are for grades 3-8. Season is 8 weeks, beginning the week of Oct. 11. Register as an individual, $175/player, or by team, $300/team. Sign up here by Oct. 1.
Fall basketball leagues are for grades K-8, recreational and competitive divisions. Season is 9 weeks guaranteed, beginning the week of Oct. 11, with playoffs in Week 10. Register by team only, $350/team. Sign up here by Oct. 1.
Purchase of the Fieldhouse doubles the Park Board’s number of full-size indoor basketball courts to a total of eight, enhancing the Park Board’s ability to offer youth and adult sports leagues a well as additional tournaments and instructional clinics.
The overall $7.5-million project is jointly financed through the City of Springfield and the Springfield-Greene County Park Board. The project will be financed through bonds over a 15-year period.
“This transaction is a truly amazing development, for both our Park Board sports program and our Springfield sports community,” said Belote. “We want to offer our sincere thanks to Mayor Ken McClure and Springfield City Council for their direct support and encouragement, as well as the City Manager’s Office, City Finance Department and those other City departments and staff that have supported us along the way.”
For information about basketball and volleyball leagues, visit ParkBoard.org/Fieldhouse or call 417-837-5817 (phone rings to Killian Sports Complex.)
For media inquiries, contact Jenny Fillmer Edwards, Public Information Administrator for the Springfield-Greene County Park Board, at 417-224-5510.
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