At the four-year anniversary, LakePoint seeing lots of development with more ahead in 2015
By Natalie Simms
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It’s been four years since officials announced the start of the 1,300-acre LakePoint Sporting Community in Emerson. After a slow start, the construction has been moving full-steam ahead baseball fields, soccer/lacrosse fields, a volleyball center and a wake board park now open with more on the way in 2015.
“This year has been big in terms of seeing games being played on the ball fields but lots more will be happening next year … it will be a big year,” says Al Pallone, mayor of Emerson.
Sporting events began at LakePoint earlier this spring with four baseball fields now open and four more under construction on the south campus. Three soccer/lacrosse fields also are open on the south campus. (map of development)
“They’ve had several events on the ball fields but the soccer/lacrosse fields are not yet at full-stride. They only have three open right now but it will pick up. The wake-boarding park is very popular and is really gaining momentum so I really think we will see more things moving ahead,” he says.
Already under way is a Chick-fil-A restaurant that is slated to open Jan. 22. A Wendy’s restaurant also is under construction as well as two hotels including a Hampton Inn and a Sleep Inn.
“The pre-work is being done for the Hampton Inn. They have built a retaining wall but I expect the project to move quickly because they would like to be ready late spring for the upcoming events … that is real motivation to get moving quickly,” Pallone says.
Aside from additional ball fields, restaurants and hotels, the next big project for the south campus is the 100,000-square-foot Bass Pro Shop store.
“We don’t have a date yet on the store. We have completed the road over the creek to their property, so we are just waiting on them to build. Hopefully, it will happen next year as well,” he says.
Pallone says developers have been focused on completing the south campus of the complex before moving across Allatoona Road to the north campus.
“Once the south campus is complete, we feel that will draw more hotels, restaurants and retailers to the project. There will be lots of good development to come,” he says.
The north campus will feature eight baseball fields, 12 youth baseball/softball fields, 14 soccer/lacrosse fields, an entertainment retail village and a Greg Norman Golf Academy and nine-hole course.
According to the Greg Norman announcement, the 30-acre facility was slated to be open late 2014 but Pallone says that timetable has been pushed back.
“The more than 30-acre facility will ultimately include a full-service practice range, a nine-hole par 3 course and a Greg Norman Champions Golf Academy offering expert coaching and instruction to visitors at LakePoint. Upon completion, the Norman facility will be only the second of its kind offering the same level of instruction as its parent facility in Myrtle Beach, S.C.,” states the Greg Norman announcement.
Pallone says discussions are also ongoing with several “sit-down”’ restaurants but no contracts have been signed.
“We have lots of possibilities,” he says. “I think once the hotels are open and folks start staying on campus, we will have things coming. Plus we are now planning to build an indoor sporting complex that will be open year-round with no winter lag like in baseball. I think more hotels and restaurants will be willing to move in if we bring in year-round events.”
