Welcome to the July 2025 edition of the Sports ETA Facility Showcase! This month, the spotlight is on the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota.  Keep reading to the end for the “Key Difference Maker” as this insight can add perspective to your own facility.

The National Sports Center - A Generational Project

Not far from the mighty Mississippi river north of Minneapolis, the world’s largest amateur sports facility resides in Blaine, MN.  With over 4 million annual visitors, the 700-acre National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota, stands as the world's largest amateur sports facility. Its extensive amenities include more than 50 soccer fields (17 of which are turf -- the most in the US!), eight ice rinks, an 18-hole golf course, and a training facility for Minnesota United. The center is also home to the annual USA Cup Soccer Tournament, which draws over 16,000 players from around the globe. The facility's origins trace back to a 1980s state investment of $14.7 million for an unsuccessful Summer Olympics bid, a venture that nonetheless established Blaine as a significant sports hub.

Behind the Scenes

• 1. Multi-Sport 110-Foot Dome:

At its core, the Nation Sports Center (Center) features a state-of-the-art 110-foot dome, expertly designed for various athletic events, including full-sized soccer matches. Its adaptable layout can also host college baseball and softball games, offering year-round play irrespective of weather. The dome's height allows for other indoor sports and community events, making it a central hub.

• 2. Innovative Golf Course Development:

This unique approach provides a recreational amenity that caters to golf enthusiasts while cleverly optimizing existing land resources. A novel golf course is built on previously unusable airport land, maximizing utility and transforming overlooked space into valuable recreational assets. This sustainable approach minimizes new land acquisition and optimizes existing resources, offering unique challenges and views in an airport-adjacent setting.

• 3. Comprehensive Water Conservation and Management:

This Center prioritizes environmental responsibility through extensive water conservation. A sophisticated system of retention ditches, storm water management ponds, and detention basins is projected to save 40 to 60 million gallons annually out of 120 million gallons permitted for campus and irrigation use. This commitment to sustainable practices mitigates environmental impact and ensures ecological balance, setting a model for future developments that are both economically viable and environmentally sound.

Proven Success and Design Innovations

The Center is designed for maximum versatility within a multi-purpose facility.  From the beginning, community leaders were committed to not using operational subsidies from public funds, unlike many competitors around the U.S.  It emphasizes an innovative campus development and operational efficiency to enhance its offerings and expand event hosting capabilities. To highlight these capabilities, they have hosted large-scale events, such as 130-team hockey tournaments and the Target USA CUP, which hosts over 1200 teams annually, all within a single location. One of the key tenets to meet sustainability standards, the Center is working on adherence to LEAD certification standards as a state facility by 2030.

A Focus on Community Engagement

The Center offers a golf course for all skill levels, with an emphasis on youth development through partnerships with local schools. It hosts events like the 3M Open Qualifier. Beyond golf, the NSC complex houses the USA Women's National Hockey Team, Minnesota United FC, Bethel College, local high school teams, TC Rush Soccer Club, and the state's largest figure skating program. The NSC is also a vibrant community with 82 independent businesses and a wide range of sports programs from introductory to professional levels. Its non-profit arm, the Fund For Play, provides low-to-no-cost access to programs, ensuring community accessibility.

Crafting Unique Experiences

The Center is one of the world's largest sports facilities serving athletes of all levels and abilities. It is the home of Learning to Skate,  hosts the largest youth soccer tournament (1200+ teams) at a single facility; the USA CUP, is the practice and training facility for Minnesota's MLS Team, The Minnesota United and is the home base for the US Women's National Hockey Team. 

On campus is the Super Rink, one of the largest ice facilities in the world, with eight sheets of ice, and is home to multiple local youth hockey association, high schools, and Bethel College. The 700-acre facility also hosts Victory Links, the only PGA Tour Design Services public golf course in Minnesota, site of the PGA Tour 3M Qualifying tournament. The Center is a regional, state and community asset campus that serves as Minnesota's playground, truly a mosaic of Minnesota sports and community partnerships. The Campus even contains a primary school, Centerview Elementary, home to students in preschool through grade 4 from Blaine, Minnesota and surrounding communities.

Sustainability, Future Growth and Impact

Saying and doing are two different things.  The Center sustainability efforts include the use of electric Zambonis and golf course carts in their operations.  As part of the Future Expansion, the Center is planning to add more solar and energy saving options. Adding these solar panels will save 35%-45% savings in utilities. In 2024, the Center’s 63 measured events generated approximately $112 million in total economic impact, with $71 million being direct economic impact. These figures were calculated using the Economic Impact Calculator by Destinations International. Additionally, they recorded just under 25,000 hotel night stays and welcomed approximately 4 million annual visitors.

KEY DIFFERENCE MAKER: "If you build it, they will come”

This movie line from The Field of Dreams movie is the key difference maker with the National Sports Center.  To reiterate from a passage earlier in the article, “the Center is designed for maximum versatility within a multi-purpose facility.”  They dreamed big and their efforts paid off.  They don’t have any plans to stop adding to their campus, and they integrate sustainable practices to maximize their amenities. Keep the National Sports Center on your radar to glean some best practices for your facility.

What is your facility “dream”? 

What resources do you need to “build it”?

Please comment and share your thoughts on hospitality.

Learn more about The National Sports Center.

Want to showcase a facility in your destination? Contact: Vince Trinidad at Vince@SportsETA.org