$77 million Ridge Athletics Center breaks ground

Construction on the most expensive public works project in the history of the city of Jonesboro has started. Ground was broken Friday (April 11) on the $77 million multisport complex that city officials have spent years wrangling over the details of the project.

“This is a monumental day for the city of Jonesboro,” said Mayor Harold Copenhaver at the groundbreaking.

The main structure will include 12 basketball courts that can be converted into 24 volleyball courts, 36 pickleball courts, and a natatorium. The natatorium plan has a 50-meter pool, a competition diving pool, and a warm-up pool. The natatorium features seating for 1,245 spectators.

The 200,000-square-foot facility will also have an aquatic center, slide, a moving water feature, and other amenities.

For years, the structure has been referred to as the Jonesboro Sportsplex, but it has been rebranded as the Ridge Athletics Center (RAC), said Craig Rickert, executive director of the Jonesboro Advertising & Promotion Commission.

“This facility will be incredible for our community,” he said.

It will be built on a 36-acre site at the confluence of Race and McClellan streets. Construction is tentatively scheduled to take 18 months, meaning it could open by late summer or early fall 2026.

The RAC is projected to have a $1 billion impact on the local economy during its lifespan, Copenhaver said. Annually, it will have a $43 million impact and will directly and indirectly support 950 jobs in the community.

A myriad of tournaments will be held in the complex, drawing thousands of athletes, coaches, parents, and other spectators to the city, the mayor said. It’s projected to generate 54,000 more hotel stays each year.

“That means people will be here, staying in hotels, shopping for things, and eating at our restaurants,” Copenhaver said.

A steering committee, led by Kevin Hodges, spent years going through every detail of the project. That work culminated with the earthwork beginning on the largest public investment project ever in Jonesboro.

“For a project like this to happen it takes leadership and action,” Hodges said.