Placer County’s new sports complex opens in Roseville for tournaments, concerts, more
On budget and five weeks ahead of schedule, the newest and largest indoor sports complex in the Sacramento region opened Thursday in Roseville.
Local officials expect the new Placer Valley Event Center to draw thousands of people annually for events such as sports tournaments, music concerts, high school graduations, robotics conventions and more.
The $47 million construction and renovation project on 60 acres that were the old Placer Fairgrounds, 700 Event Center Drive, includes 160,000 square feet of space — the equivalent of 12 full-size basketball courts — tailor-made for basketball, volleyball, gymnastics and other indoor sports.
“This event center and all of the grounds will help shape the future of our region and become the center of our community,” said David Attaway, CEO of Placer Valley Tourism, which led the renovation project.
Collectively called @the Grounds, the project to turn around the rundown fairgrounds started nearly a decade ago. After 80 years of operation, the facilities were falling apart — “parking areas were crumbling, the toilets didn’t always flush,” Attaway said.
In partnership with Placer County, about 85 percent of the project was funded by Placer Valley Tourism, a business district that draws self-assessed fees from local hotels, Attaway said.
A feasibility study on the project anticipates the complex will generate at least $12 million annually to the economy in south Placer County.
“The Placer Valley Event Center will be an enduring legacy for many, many years to come,” said Heather Hilton of Tharaldson Hospitality Management.
Local youth groups in Rocklin, Lincoln and Roseville have been have itching to get into the long-anticipated complex since construction began January last year.
Sarah Ameter, coach of Lincoln High School’s varsity cheer team, said with the team frequently traveling across California and out of state for competitions, “It’s great to have the facility locally so the competition can come to us.”
“In our area, there are a lot of teams that compete,” Ameter said, watching the team perform stunts in the new gymnasium as part of the grand opening festivities. “To have it close and local is amazing.”
On the other side of the complex, young gymnasts with local club Byers Gymnastics Center tumbled on mats. Terea Davis, whose daughters are on the team, said everyone is thrilled to perform and compete at the new event center.
“It’s new any time you have the ability to present ... in a big venue, and it’s much bigger than what we’re used to, it’s nice,” Davis said.
Thirty different events have already been booked this year for the event center, including the Junior Olympic Level 9 Western Championship for USA Gymnastics in May.
Ten to 15 more events are in the queue, Attaway said.
“I used to walk the grounds and you could see how dilapidated it was,” Attaway said. “But it was a great location and so we’re really excited to bring this facility back to life.”