Firmly established as a tourism destination, the Virginia Beach Oceanfront is a vibrant area during the warm spring and summer but lacks activity in the colder seasons. The Virginia Beach Sports Center is a vital part of the Central Beach District Master Plan to diversify offerings at the beach, complementing recreational and historic options. Adding national-level sports tourism to the Convention Center Campus and the adjacent Vibe Creative District creates a sustainable urban beach lifestyle for the local community and a cultural destination for the out-of-town visitor.
The Sports Center includes courts, an indoor track, floor and mezzanine spectator seating, dining, meeting rooms, “camping” space for athletes between events, and interior-exterior exhibit areas. Metal panels clad the facility’s exterior in subtly different and randomly distributed finishes, creating an ever-changing appearance as reflections of sun and light. A mix of transparent and translucent panels diminish the opaque exterior, creating a playful composition of shadows and framed views—seamlessly connecting inside and outside experience.
The indoor track features the most advanced running surface available on a hydraulically operated banked oval. Public restrooms contain moveable dividers allowing the spaces to be partially re-assigned by gender, providing flexibility for events where participants are predominantly male or female.
A continuous canopy in a custom “Virginia Beach sunrise” color lends prominence to the primary facades fronting the central outdoor plaza. Situated around an existing stormwater pond, the plaza accommodates community gatherings and events, providing a unique arrival experience for visitors and anchoring the easily walkable path linking the surrounding Creative District.
Months after opening, the new Sports Center has placed Virginia Beach among the top national sports tourism destinations. Designed with NCAA Track & Field organizers with seating for over 4,500, the event center is the largest multipurpose indoor basketball/volleyball/wrestling facility on the US East Coast.
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