DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF News) – A new athletic complex for young athletes founded by former NBA star Jermaine O’Neal has officially opened near DFW Airport.
The airport’s John Terrell said the 750,000 people the Drive Nation Sports Complex expects to bring in over the next year will benefit everyone.
The complex, which is located on Rental Car Drive near the south entrance to the airport, targets athletes between 3rd and 12th grade.
“That’s going to fill up hotels. It provides a huge amount of economic development. You know what, the kind of people that Jermaine and Drive Nation are those are the kind of people that we want to be partnered with,” he said.
Irving Mayor Rick Stopfer was at the opening and said what he feels make Drive Nation unique is the level of professionalism O’Neal brings.
“When you look at the ice machines that they have and the hot tubs that they have. Those are the kinds of things you see at the Cowboys facilities. This is the opportunity for kids to be able to see if they have a challenge how to fix it,” he said.
Stopfer said the dynamics of youth sports programs are changing and this facility is a reflection of that.
“You know people today travel from state to state for their kids to play. It’s not like when we were a kid that you maybe went 20, 30, 40 miles away,”
The building is about 90,000 square feet and features a small football field, basketball and volleyball courts, weight rooms and a cafe with healthy options for the athletes.
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