TCAPS Eyes $17.3M Fieldhouse Near East Middle School
A long-discussed local indoor sports complex providing dedicated turf, courts, and track lanes for year-round practices and tournaments could soon become a reality. Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) trustees will consider $650,000 in architectural services Monday for a new multi-purpose fieldhouse on Carlisle Road next to East Middle School – an estimated $17.3 million facility that could move forward thanks to considerable funding support from the nonprofit Northern Michigan Homefield Alliance and Traverse City Tourism, in addition to the district’s 2018 bond.
TCAPS trustees will consider approving a contract with TMP Architecture to complete architecture and engineering work for the planned 125,000-square-foot facility. According to the firm’s proposal, the building could include Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA)-regulation fields and courts, a six-lane perimeter running track with sprint lane extensions and a pole vault pit, team changing rooms, restrooms, and accessory spaces (like storage and mechanical rooms) on district property behind East Middle School. The firm’s “expertise in designing similar facilities across the state and their prior engagement in the conceptualization phase make them the ideal partner to bring this vision to reality,” TCAPS Superintendent Dr. John VanWagoner wrote in a memo.
Though left out of TCAPS’ 2024 bond proposal, one or more indoor fieldhouses have been discussed for years by district leaders and community groups like Traverse City Tourism, which has said such a facility could host indoor sporting events year-round and boost the city’s shoulder seasons, bringing more money to local hotels and businesses during slower times of year.
The Northern Michigan Homefield Alliance (NMHA) – a nonprofit led by Jessica Sullivan, who also worked with the Traverse Indoor Sports Coalition – has committed to fundraising at least $7 million of the initial construction cost. NMHA noted in presentation materials that districts much smaller than Traverse City’s – such as Mackinaw City, with 155 students – have access to indoor sports complexes while the more than 8,000 TCAPS students do not. A new state-of-the-art facility will “open up greater possibilities for students and families across northern Michigan,” NMHA wrote.
Sullivan previously pitched TCAPS on the idea of building an indoor facility by covering half the cost through private investment. That proposal initially envisioned constructing fieldhouses at West and Central high schools. However, VanWagoner says space is constrained in particular on the Central campus. The new proposal envisions building out a large facility on the Carlisle property that can be used by all TCAPS schools, with a second future phase calling for smaller auxiliary gyms at both high schools.
In addition to NMHA, Traverse City Tourism would also contribute. The organization has pledged a $500,000 sponsorship upon the facility’s completion, followed by a 10-year sponsorship of $50,000 annually for a total commitment of $1 million. The investment is “tied to our plans to host numerous local events for TCAPS students, as well as six large events that will also attract student athletes from across the state,” VanWagoner wrote. The funding would be placed in an interest-bearing restricted district fund to ensure it aligns with Traverse City Tourism’s intended purpose, he said.
Trevor Tkach of Traverse City Tourism is hopeful that after years of discussion, an indoor facility could finally move forward. “We’ve got a wonderful hospitality community here, but we have to work very hard to draw attention to our region at certain times of year,” he says. “Having more indoor opportunities for visitors to travel to our area keeps businesses in business and employees employed...this project achieves that end, so we’re very excited.”
NMHA’s and Traverse City Tourism’s combined commitments of $8 million – which would still need to be ratified in future legal agreements – would leave approximately $9.3 million to be covered by funds remaining in TCAPS’ 2018 bond allocation. TCAPS has also received a $25,000 planning grant from the Great Lakes Sports Commission to fund “crucial preliminary work, including site surveys, title work, and an environmental review of the proposed Carlisle Road location,” according to VanWagoner. Getting to construction is heavily dependent on successful fundraising, VanWagoner cautions, with design work the “first domino” in the process to obtain clearer cost estimates and determine what’s feasible.
“I think the board has to feel confident the fundraising is going happen,” VanWagoner tells The Ticker. “That’s the contingent part of this whole thing.” If trustees support moving forward Monday, design work could be completed by the end of this year. Bid submissions could be reviewed early next year, with construction potentially to start as soon as May 2026. Traverse City-based Hallmark Construction is expected to “provide crucial oversight for the entire construction project,” according to VanWagoner.
The sports facility has a “clear path to fiscal sustainability,” VanWagoner noted, with a five-year pro forma completed by the Sports Facility Advisory showing that TCAPS could be revenue-positive on the fieldhouse by its third year via turf events and field rentals. VanWagoner sees the potential to host everything from robotics tournaments to multi-sport events to outside rentals like RV or boat shows. The key is to make the facility self-sustaining – even revenue-generating – with the goal of expanding programming and scholarships for the district’s Learning, Enrichment, and Athletic Program (LEAP), which provides a variety of activities for students beyond the school day.
“It is imperative to emphasize that this multi-purpose fieldhouse is being designed first and foremost for the benefit of our TCAPS students,” VanWagoner wrote to trustees. “Upon completion, the facility will be integrated and managed within an expanded TCAPS LEAP program. This integration includes dedicated facility management, plans for after-school programming for East Middle School students, and robust summer camps offering a diverse array of extra and co-curricular opportunities across various disciplines.” The proposed fieldhouse “represents a significant investment in our students' future,” VanWagoner added, “and a valuable asset for our entire community.”
Pictured: Fieldhouse renderings by TMP Architecture