Provo celebrates grand opening of new 100-acre sports park
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- On Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, Provo City leaders and officials held a grand-opening celebration for the new Epic Sports Park. The event featured remarks about the new complex, a skydiver with a surprise soccer ball drop, Zippy the Parks & Recreation Department mascot and other activities.
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- On Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, Provo City leaders and officials held a grand-opening celebration for the new Epic Sports Park. The event featured remarks about the new complex, a skydiver with a surprise soccer ball drop, Zippy the Parks & Recreation Department mascot and other activities.
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- On Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, Provo City leaders and officials held a grand-opening celebration for the new Epic Sports Park. The event featured remarks about the new complex, a skydiver with a surprise soccer ball drop, Zippy the Parks & Recreation Department mascot and other activities.
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- Scott Henderson, Provo City chief administrative officer, speaks to a crowd Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024 during the grand-opening celebration for the new Epic Sports Park.
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- On Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, Provo City leaders and officials held a grand-opening celebration for the new Epic Sports Park. The event featured remarks about the new complex, a skydiver with a surprise soccer ball drop, Zippy the Parks & Recreation Department mascot and other activities.
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- On Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, Provo City leaders and officials held a grand-opening celebration for the new Epic Sports Park. The event featured remarks about the new complex, a skydiver with a surprise soccer ball drop, Zippy the Parks & Recreation Department mascot and other activities.
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- On Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, Provo City leaders and officials held a grand-opening celebration for the new Epic Sports Park. The event featured remarks about the new complex, a skydiver with a surprise soccer ball drop, Zippy the Parks & Recreation Department mascot and other activities.
An area of Provo that’s mainly been used as farmland just got a huge transformation and is set to welcome individuals and families from across the Intermountain West.
After much anticipation, the new 100-acre Epic Sports Park located north of Utah Lake near the Provo Airport is officially open.
Currently, 15 of the site’s 21 multi-use fields are open, along with two playgrounds and other park amenities.
A 45-court pickleball section is slated for completion by 2026.
This reportedly will be the largest regional sports park in Utah and one of the largest in the Intermountain West, according to a Provo City press release.
On Saturday, city leaders, officials and community members celebrated the grand opening of the park. The action-packed event featured skydivers, a pyrotechnics display and a DJ providing upbeat music to align with the occasion.
Provo Parks & Recreation acquired 100 acres of farmland in 2019 through a Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund process to preserve recreational open space. The Provo City Council approved plans to build the park in 2021.
Since then, it’s been a laborious process to get the project underway and completed up to this point.
“This park is more than just a sports facility; it’s an investment in our future, we know how much our local athletes have needed this,” Mayor Michelle Kaufusi said in a blog post. “With over 330 teams competing for space on just 11 fields, the demand was simply too high. Epic Sports Park isn’t just a solution to this, it’s a step forward in making Provo the place for sports tourism in Utah.”
While the new complex provides a needed resource for local children and athletes, Provo also looks to cash in on an economic boost in tourism.
“The Epic Sports Park will become a catalyst of visitation and investment in Provo bringing $40 million annually into our regional economy,” said Scott Henderson, Provo City chief administrative officer, in a press release. “Sports travel tourism is a $45-billion industry in the U.S. and growing each year. By partnering with Explore Utah Valley, we are already attracting significant local and regional tournaments with a bright future ahead.”
The 15 full-size fields will be available for a variety of sports including soccer, lacrosse, rugby and flag football, among others.
As the Daily Herald previously reported, several sporting events are already booked for the EPIC Sports Park, including a major soccer tournament scheduled for this fall.
“These events are projected to generate $3.1 million in local spending, including over 6,100 room nights booked at local hotels,” said Doug Robins, Provo City Parks & Recreation director, in the release.
Park officials also were mindful about water and energy conservation during construction of the facility.
Techniques and fixtures have been implemented to use water efficiently, in addition to sensors, timing and other technology throughout the park to ensure that lighting is only active when needed to reduce energy use, the release noted.
Epic Sports Park is located at 2602 W. Victory Way, adjacent to the airport and minutes from downtown Provo.
Playground hours are open to the public daily from dusk until dawn.
Use of the athletic fields must be scheduled through Provo Parks & Recreation.
