What If One Building Could Change the Way Our Community Plays?
If you've raised kids in Bismarck-Mandan, you've probably experienced it.
Searching late at night for an open gym. Trying to coordinate practices around limited court time. Driving hours across North Dakota, or even into Minnesota, because that's where the tournament is.
For many families, it's become normal.
We started asking ourselves, "What if it didn't have to be like this?"
That question became the foundation for Next Play Rec Center.
It Started With a Problem We Were Experiencing Too
Before we're developers, we're parents.
Like so many families, we've spent countless evenings and weekends driving to practices, juggling schedules, and searching for indoor space during our long winters.
The more conversations we had with coaches, youth organizations, and other parents, the clearer the challenge became.
Our community has grown. Youth participation has grown. Demand for indoor recreation has grown.
The available space hasn't.
Seeing Opportunity Where Others Saw Empty Space
When the former SuperValu (later UNFI) warehouse became available, most people saw a vacant industrial building. We saw possibility.
We imagined basketball courts where warehouse shelving once stood. Indoor turf replacing loading docks. Kids playing. Families gathering. A place where movement, connection, and community could exist under one roof.
That's where Next Play truly began.
More Than a Sports Facility
From the beginning, we knew we weren't simply building another sports complex. Sports may bring people through the doors, but community is what keeps people coming back.
Our vision is to create a place where children can grow, families can connect, organizations can thrive, and our community has room to gather year-round.
The current concept includes:
Basketball and volleyball courts
Indoor turf
A playground
Walking track
Café
Community gathering spaces
Most importantly, we've intentionally designed flexibility into the building. As our community's needs evolve, Next Play can evolve with it.
Building for Today and Tomorrow
Large redevelopment projects don't happen overnight. There are engineering studies, partnership discussions, financing, sponsorships, due diligence, and countless decisions that happen long before construction begins.
That's why we're approaching Next Play in phases.
Phase One will focus on approximately 110,000 square feet, creating a strong foundation while allowing us to expand alongside community demand.
We believe that thoughtful growth creates lasting success.
Looking Ahead
Five years from now, we hope families think of Next Play as simply part of life in Bismarck-Mandan.
A place where leagues compete. Kids attend camps. Families spend Saturday afternoons. Community events bring people together.
And perhaps most importantly, where fewer families have to leave our region just to find opportunities that could exist right here at home.
If you had 200,000 square feet to serve Bismarck-Mandan... what would you build?
