SportsQuest to Break Ground on Indoor Sports & Fitness Center

Facility includes 250,000 sq ft of Court Sports, Olympic Pool & Fitness Center Programs

SportsQuest took a major step forward today as the company revealed plans to break ground this week on what has been described as a premium jewel of their West Campus. The impressive building will allow SportsQuest members to enjoy another 13 sports and fitness center activities. The announcement is already sparking attention from Olympic, Professional and Amateur sports groups around the country.

Spectacular Home for Sports Training. With 15 basketball courts underway, Tony Tucker, one of the top basketball trainers in the world recently moved to Chesterfield County to direct the SportsQuest basketball program. “Top NBA players are making commitments to support training at SportsQuest,” remarked Tucker. “If you are an up and coming basketball player, who wants to maximize your game, you need to train with Tony Tucker,” said Chauncey Billups, NBA Player with the Denver Nuggets, “It’s been a great advantage working with Tony throughout my career.” Billups’ personal success is a testament to SportsQuest training programs as Billups’ training with Tucker has been credited as one of the reasons he was the 3rd player selected in the NBA Draft.

Major Platform for Sports Tournaments. The AAU, the largest youth sports group in the country, is the first sports group to take advantage of the facility by awarding SportsQuest a 20-year commitment for the AAU National Sports Festival. This tournament will be held annually at SportsQuest over a nine day period the last two weeks in June. “The first event is scheduled June 18-26, 2010 and will include over 20 sports,” said Travis Bullock, Governor of Virginia AAU, “our National Sports Festival held at SportsQuest should become one of the largest youth sporting events in the country.” Facility access throughout Richmond is expected to augment the SportsQuest campus spreading the regional benefits. The event will be energized by AAU National marketing to its approximately 600,000 athlete members and is projected to bring over 100,000 players, team supporters, and family members annually to greater Richmond. Sports Tourism economists project the economic impact to bring well over $10 million annually to the greater Richmond region during the nine day event.

Olympic Interests in SportsQuest continues. Recent Olympic visitors were seven senior leaders of Olympic, National Team, and youth Club programs at USA Field Hockey, including Steve Locke, Executive Director, Lee Bodimeade, National Women’s Team Coach, Laura Darling, Olympic and Athlete Development Managing Director, and Karen Collins, Director of Events. “Dr. Burton’s energy is boundless, and he has created a spectacular venue unlike anything I have seen in this country,” said Locke, “the fields are spectacular and the uniqueness of the property is provided through the inclusion of significant sports science, sports medicine, and high tech enhancements.” The announcement falls on the one-year anniversary of the SportsQuest’s Olympic Sports Summit, which attracted over 1,100 local residents and was the largest collection of Olympic Governing Bodies to ever assemble in our region.

The Olympic Pool, Cardio, Strength & Aerobic Fitness Center is going to drive expanded aquatics programming for competitive swimming, water polo and synchronized swimming. It will also provide excellent state-of-the-art fitness and family entertainment for thousands of Family, Couple and Single Campus Members who have decided to make SportsQuest their fitness, sports, and entertainment site.

Professional Sports Venue. The facility will also become the home for SportsQuest Professional Sports like the Richmond Revolution, who are entering the 2nd season after a record setting 13-1 season and winning IFL franchise of the year. Intimate seating for over 3,000 people will create a unique and outstanding experience for our fans to enjoy a wide range of professional indoor sports.