Construction is underway on the sports sky dome on Detroit’s east side. The project is expected to be completed and opened in June.
The 130,000-square-foot complex is under construction after breaking ground in January. City officials and project managers on Wednesday toured the construction to date of the dome, which is being funded with $14 million from American Rescue Plan Act grants.
The dome will include fresh turf on a high school-sized football field, and programming is expected to include football, soccer and a multi-purpose court for basketball, volleyball and pickleball. Goals and nets are customizable based on the size of the group and the age range of the players. There is a track surrounding the field, with the multifunctional field adjacent to it on one side and a multi-purpose area with toilets, showers and changing rooms on the other side.
The complex is expected to function like any other recreational facility in the city. Crystal Perkins, director of the general services department, said the city’s athletics division will schedule activities and permitted leagues will have the opportunity to use the facility, along with open play. Logistics will be finalized closer to opening.
Although the project is funded with ARPA grants, a facility of this size could require about $560,000 from the city’s general fund to operate, said Perkins, who provided the estimate based on other large sites. Costs are subject to change.
“What we do in construction goes beyond building bricks and buildings like this. It’s really about creating lasting legacies for the community that they can participate in,” said Brinker CEO Larry Brinker Jr., who leads indicates construction. “We are very excited to be part of this project, and we are very excited to see that the residents of the city of Detroit have a first-class facility that they can use this summer.”
Larry Brinker Jr., the president and CEO of LS Brinker, talks to the media about the new Chandler Park dome at the new Detroit athletic complex on Wednesday, December 11, 2024. The dome that has everything from a football field to a basketball court and the indoor track is expected to open in summer 2025.
Crews continue construction of the fieldhouse, which is inflated via an air blower system. Brinker said the system has backup generators in case a fan or generator fails.
“These buildings are built to handle snow loads and wind loads, and the structures are first-rate structures,” Brinker added.
Dana Afana is the Detroit city hall reporter for the Free Press. Contact: dafana@freepress.com. Follow her: @DanaAfana.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Chandler Park $14 Million ARPA-Funded Sky Dome Expected to Open Summer 2025
