PULASKI, Va. – A 165,000-square-foot sportsplex is just months away from opening in Pulaski County, and county leaders say it will reshape recreation across southwestern Virginia.
Construction is scheduled to finish in September, with the facility opening to the public in October. The Pulaski County Sportsplex will feature more than a dozen multipurpose athletic courts and what officials are calling the largest indoor playground in Virginia.
‘A facility for all ages, all seasons’
Pulaski County Administrator Jonathan Sweet said no comparable facility exists in the region.
“A facility of this scale and this versatility just doesn’t exist in southwestern Virginia,” Sweet said. “So we’re real excited about what it’s going to mean for Pulaski County. But moreover, what it’s going to mean just to sports tourism for this part of the state and for the New River Valley.”
Sweet described the sportsplex as the defining project of the county’s recent development push — one that follows the openings of the Great Wilderness Brewery in downtown Pulaski and the Motorsports Park in Fairlawn earlier in 2026.
“Could very well be the capstone of our projects,” Sweet said. “Without a doubt, it’s going to be the cornerstone of our community. This really is a facility for all ages, all seasons, all sports, all activities and interests. It’s really got something for everyone.”
Year-round programming is a central part of the plan.
“No matter if it’s 100 degrees outside or if it’s 15 degrees outside, this facility is going to have programming and offerings that are going to keep folks coming year-round,” Sweet said.
Indoor playground billed as crown jewel
Sweet highlighted the indoor playground as a signature feature — one designed to draw families even when they are not there for a specific athletic event.
“It incorporates elements for kids of all ages. It has technology components as well,” Sweet said. “The sheer size of it is special, but it’s indoor. So you don’t see playgrounds like this indoors. We think that this is going to be sort of the crown jewel inside of this facility where families can come and enjoy the competition or the event or the programming and their kids, their youngsters can enjoy this facility through this playground just as much as the parents.”
Designed with space and flow in mind
Sweet said the facility’s layout was deliberately engineered with post-pandemic crowd management in mind.
“The way this was laid out and designed and the engineering of it was really post-pandemic design, making sure that there’s plenty of space, not just for competition to take place, but also for spectators to enjoy the competition and for thoroughfare to take place and ingress and egress without it being overcrowded,” Sweet said. “We could have put more courts in here, but it would have compromised the quality of the events that we put on.”
Residents say Pulaski has needed this
Several Pulaski County residents said the sportsplex fills a long-standing gap in the community, particularly for young people.
“Pulaski’s never had anything like that,” said Gary Martin, a Pulaski County resident. “I mean, Christiansburg’s got, I think two, and I think Wytheville has one. But yeah, Pulaski’s never had anything like that. So I think it’s going to be something new, different. I think everybody will support it.”
Raquel Martin, another county resident, echoed that sentiment.
“I think it’s awesome, especially mainly for the kids,” she said. “The kids, they need something around here. It’s no skate park. Nothing really for all the youth. So I think that would be something nice for them.”
She also raised a practical concern about access. “Would they provide transportation for the kids? Because not everyone in Pulaski has a car,” she said.
Nathan Hughes said he hopes the facility brings people together in a way the county currently lacks.
“I think it would be good to get the kids kind of off the tablets, off the computers, and kind of bring a community together outside of the YMCA,” Hughes said. “I don’t think we really have anything like that. And I think the YMCA is kind of a little bit outdated right now. So I think it’s just something that will be centralized, hopefully affordable.”
Memberships, pricing, and jobs
The sportsplex will offer three tiers of memberships, each with access to varying amenities. Sweet confirmed that separate in-county and out-of-county rates will apply.
“There’s in-county and out-of-county rates. We welcome folks from all over, but Pulaski County will enjoy a premium rate over those outside of the community,” he said.
Sweet framed the facility’s broader mission around community health and connection.
“It’s about health and wellness, both physically and mental wellness. And it’s about community. It truly is,” Sweet said. “This is really going to be the nexus of our community where citizens of all types come here for one reason or another and they enjoy not just the facility, but they enjoy each other as well.”
Pulaski County released job openings for the sportsplex on July 13.