Gulf Shores, Ala. – (OBA) – Gulf Shores is looking to spend $6 million for a new 38,000-square-foot building at the city’s Sportsplex for sports and community events. It could accommodate several courts for volleyball, basketball or pickleball and an onsite café is planned as well.

Gulf Shores middle school teacher and volleyball enthusiast Shawn Weaver said in his 20 years or more promoting volleyball in the area he began to see a need for more space.

“I’ve been running volleyball and stuff in our area for the past 24 years, specifically with my club that I own,” Weaver said. “It’s been something I’ve always had on my mind. One of my partners is with the fitness stuff that we do with Eddie Henry at Midtown Fitness. He also does my beach volleyball. I said I was really tired of renting gyms and I’m really going to try to find a small piece of property and put a couple of courts in it.”

Henry said a conversation with City Administrator Steve Griffin about the idea for a facility.

“He’s ‘like we’ve been looking to do something like that,’” Weaver said. “We started talking and everything. The idea was if we have the land and the means to help us a little more with it, we could really do something nice for our community and our area. With so many people moving in having a multi-sport center, just some extra space.”

Michelle Russ, Vice President of Sales for Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Sports and Events said the new space would be welcome and expand the opportunities for tournaments at the facility.

“Indoor sports space is something we are hugely lacking in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, so the new volleyball facility at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex is a welcomed addition for local and sports tourism use," Russ said. "This facility paired with the new pickleball facility gives the area more sports diversity, allowing us to seek new business particularly in need periods like the fall and winter.”

In June, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism bought 111 acres on the north side of Coastal Gateway Boulevard just west of the Beach Express for a new sports tourism facility for sportsplex to host various tournaments.

See related story: Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism buys land for sports tourism complex

Local tourism officials can now recruit some events to the new facility, events in the past they would have to pass on because of the lack of space.

“It could be a cheerleading competition, it could be a karate tournament, it could be a wrestling tournament,” Weaver said. “They don’t have the space. That’s how it all kind of got together and it’s building up to what we’re looking at now.”

Weaver said the open court area is 28,000 square feet alone and could accommodate four basketball or volleyball courts and up to 12 pickleball courts. Outside plans call for eight lighted beach volleyball courts as well.

But Weaver said there’s a multitude of other uses that will make it a welcome addition for the community.

“One of the things with my proposal, having the extra space to even do a prom and things like that with us being city schools now there’s not even places for us to rent or use for in service,” Weaver said. “This could be a multi-purpose place for us for sure. Michelle Russ said the little civic center right there at The Wharf is 18,000 and it is rented 90-something percent of the time all year. It just shows that need in our area.”

He can also see the new building becoming a neighborhood hang out or a place to have a snack after working out or playing pickleball on the nearby outdoor courts.

“The whole thing is actually 38,000 square feet,” Weaver said. “It’s going to have a fitness center in it. It will be geared toward our youth athletes and just people in the community can still come in. It will also have a café/deli that will serve that area. And, it will be open even for the community as well. There’s a lot of housing around there.”

He sees the café as attracting students after school or heading to the Sportsplex for practice with another high school sport.

“I want to create a space, being a school teacher, where kids can come to in the afternoon,” Weaver said. “Come hang out at the café, do their homework. The place will be wi-fi ready and they can go workout in the gym and go to volleyball practice. Or maybe they are a part of the baseball and they go to baseball practice next door.”

Weaver would like to see the facility up and running in about a year which will just about coincide with his retirement date from education.

“I’ve been lucky to work with them for 20-something years and now as well and I’m excited to maybe see them go out on some of these things and try and bid,” Weaver said. “I’m in a position if we get this thing built in a year then I’m going to retire teaching and straight into this fulltime and Help with the community and maybe the Sports Commission.”

For more information on GSOB Sports & Events, visit GSOBsports.com.