A national publication that has been in place for nearly a quarter of a century – Sports Travel Magazine – that serves groups organizing and hosting sporting events recently compiled a list of 15 new sports venues to watch in 2021.

 

Included in the list of new places from major cities such as Austin, Texas and Cincinnati, Ohio, was Bridgeport. And as one may easily guess, The Bridgeport Indoor Sports and Recreation Complex is part of the list.

 

“It’s certainly a neat thing when you look at the facilities, we’re grouped it shows we’re doing something significant,” said Joe Shuttleworth, the director of Bridgeport Parks and Recreation.

 

The article gives brief descriptions on the 15 locations featured in the piece. Here is what is says about The Bridge, the City of Bridgeport’s $50 million indoor sports and recreation facility.

 

“The Bridge is an indoor/outdoor, 156,000-square-foot, three-story venue. It will consist of six hardwood basketball/volleyball courts, a family entertainment center, an indoor aquatic with 25-meter competition pool, a fitness center, one indoor turf field that measures 40 yards by 70 yards, an indoor climbing facility, one outdoor turf field, as well as meeting rooms for special and group events. The SFM-operated complex will be located in a region where the community is focused on hosting local and regional tournaments.”

 

Shuttleworth said the city has been fortunate to stave off a lot of issues many have faced during the pandemic.

 

“Obviously, we’re very pleased to see this and have been very fortunate in the COVID landscape that we didn’t get shut down or pretty much slowed down,” said Shuttleworth. “There were no major financial issues to deal with as well that allowed us to continue on the path toward opening.”

 

Shuttleworth said once it is open, people will see why it is drawing national attention He said he believes it is going to benefit the entire area.

 

“It’s a unique facility, especially for this region and the impact will be felt locally and throughout the region. The nice thing is that we’re going to draw local people and travelers and we’re going to be able to promote Bridgeport, the region, and the state,” he said. “This is certainly a nice thing to see in this article to let us know others see what we’re doing.”

 

Click HERE to read the entire list from the magazine.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows the architectural rendering of The Bridge, while Parks and Recreation Director Joe Shuttleworth is shown below in a photo by Ben Queen Photography.