Emerald Acres Sports Connection celebrated the grand opening of its state-of-the-art fieldhouse with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday morning, marking a transformative moment for sports, entertainment, and economic growth in the region. The event was attended by key figures including Blake Pierce, President of Rural King’s Real Estate & Development and Mattoon Sports Complex, Inc. President, Mattoon Mayor Rick Hall, State Senator Chapin Rose, Mattoon Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ed Dowd, and David Bounds, Vice President and Venue Manager for The Sports Facilities Companies, the group managing the complex.
David Bounds detailed the venue’s capabilities, noting its eight basketball courts, which convert into 16 volleyball courts. “This is the right number of courts to make Emerald Acres a premier destination for sports events,” said Bounds. The fieldhouse’s design allows tournament organizers to host all games in one location, streamlining operations and enhancing the guest experience.
Blake Pierce highlighted the ongoing development plans, sharing, “After today’s ribbon cutting, the Emerald Acres project is not done.” “This spring, we’ll break ground on phase two, which includes the outdoor fields.”
Mayor Hall spoke to the collaborative efforts that made the project a reality, stating, “I have used the term that the stars were aligned. If Rural King hadn’t been here, if we hadn’t done some things we did, and all the people together couldn’t move in the same direction, we wouldn’t be sitting here today.”
State Rep. Chapin Rose emphasized the project’s economic significance, announcing that the state will provide $900,000 to the City of Mattoon for infrastructure improvements to support the influx of visitors. Emerald Acres is projected to bring in over $5 million to Mattoon via sports tourism in its first year, filling nearly 14,000 hotel rooms in Mattoon and surrounding communities.
“We are thrilled to open our doors and welcome the community to this extraordinary facility,” said Tyler Yoder, General Manager of Emerald Acres. “This event marks a milestone not just for Emerald Acres but for Mattoon as a whole. We are excited to see how this facility will bring people together, create unforgettable experiences, and make a lasting impact on the community as a whole.”
The ribbon-cutting ceremony kicked off a weekend of grand opening festivities. The celebrations continued Friday evening from 5-8 PM and Saturday from 10 AM-2 PM. Attendees were treated to guided tours of the facility and had an opportunity to participate in the EA Kickoff Challenge. The EA Kickoff Challenge featured on-court games with prizes for winners, showcasing the venue’s cutting-edge amenities, including its arcade and on-site café.
