DULUTH — A new indoor sports complex is expected to open soon in the Oneota neighborhood, allowing athletes to train, play and compete year-round on its courts, cages and grassy area.
The Elite Sports Complex will feature five pickleball courts, six batting cages, mounds, a basketball court and two turf lanes for lacrosse, football and soccer. The facility also houses concessions and a shopping center on its upper level.
In December, co-owners Herb Gibson and Aaron Larson signed the lease for the building at 4510 W. First St., most recently occupied by
The Essentia Health warehouse until its move to the Esko Industrial Park last year.
It also housed the
Lighthouse Center for Vital Living, now stands downtown.
Jed Carlson / Duluth Media Group
The new partnership combined Gibson’s love of baseball with Larson’s passion for lacrosse to provide the community with a place to host dedicated and competitive sports associations throughout the region and to practice athletics, particularly during the winter months.
Larson will oversee the building as manager, while Gibson will lead sales and logistics.
Gibson is the
general manager of the Duluth Huskies.
Gibson’s P5 company recently moved from Minneapolis to the Northland to sell uniforms.
Larson is a retired military veteran and owner of
a Duluth-based manufacturer of hunting and fishing products. Dr Juice was founded by Duluthian
in 1980 with emphasis on research and development of wild odors. Its products are sold at Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s.
“Me and his son, who were deployed to Iraq together, took over the business,” Larson said. “It’s been about 15 years, and now I’m the sole owner. Greg is still on the board. It has now gradually become a management company. She runs Dr. Juice, which is her own brand, but we run other things, like a sports card store and this facility. With that, we hire veterans.
As former president of
Arrowhead Titans Lacrosse Club in Hermantown,
Larson had also founded the Northern Vortex team.
“That’s kind of what got me into doing this,” Larson said. “We couldn’t find time on the indoor turf anywhere. We had a total of three hours last year.
Jed Carlson / Duluth Media Group
According to Elite’s owners, the complex fills a void for athletes and sports fans throughout the region.
“Once we started, we immediately started to see the snowball effect of people wanting to get involved and the community coming together to get this project going,” Larson said.
The new indoor sports facility represents a personal investment of $1 million. The first phase includes a 40,000 square foot sports area and 10,000 square feet of commercial space.
Integrity Builders was hired as the contractor for the project. So far, the pickleball courts are completed, construction of a restaurant is underway and the nets will soon be put in place before the final stage of laying the turf is completed.
The Elite Pro Shop offers branded sports equipment and clothing. Elite Sports also contracts with Big Frog of Duluth to provide equipment for fans of area high schools, associations and clubs.
Jed Carlson / Duluth Media Group
Elite Sports and Collectibles offers sports and fantasy trading cards, as well as autographed sports memorabilia.
Concessions such as beer, wine, soft drinks, hot dogs and nachos will be available at The Kitchen, a restaurant named after a pickleball term for center court. It is located on an upper level balcony overlooking the property.
Jed Carlson / Duluth Media Group
“It’s kind of our viewing area where you can hang out and come watch your kids play sports,” Larson said.
A soft opening is planned for Feb. 1, pending approval of a certificate of occupancy from the city. Hours of operation are 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., with pickleball courts opening at 6:00 a.m.
Individual and association memberships are available, in addition to public hearing hours. Expert coaches will offer classes for athletes of all levels.
Gary Meader / Duluth Media Group
