by Jim Walsh as featured in Courier Post
Officials are considering development of an indoor athletic complex at the Blackwood campus of Camden County College.
The project could support new programs that would “attract more diverse students to play college athletics,” said Don Borden, the school’s president.
It also could “help fill in some other community pieces that may be missing,” he added.
For instance, Borden said, the complex might host events “that are too large for typical high school gyms but too small for other large complexes like the Liacouras Center,” a 10,000-seat facility at Temple University in Philadelphia.
The county school’s current facility, the Joseph Papiano Gymnasium, can seat about 2,400 people.
Camden County’s Improvement Authority is currently seeking bids for a feasibility study on the project.
The bid request notes the complex is intended to allow for uses “that could provide additional revenue streams.”
“There is no question sports tourism is a big market,” said Borden. “Other areas have developed all types of event centers to capture this sector.”
“If the study comes back positive, we will explore all options as long as there is no negative impact to the finances or enrollment of the college,” he said.
Athletic facilities can be a factor when students choose a school, officials say.
“Adding new sports teams brings in students who might have skipped over community college and gone right to a four-year school,” Bill Banks, director of athletics, said last week in announcing the return of track and field to the county school.
Track and field events, last seen at the Blackwood campus 30 years ago, are to resume in January 2019, the school said.
