Best of Arlington 2019
The St. James
Best New Sportsplex
Photo courtesy of The St. James
What doesn’t The St. James have? Occupying a mind-blowing 450,000 square feet on 22 acres, the airport-size sportsplex in Springfield opened in September, offering indoor soccer, volleyball, lacrosse, basketball, rugby, gymnastics, squash, pitching and batting cages, two NHL regulation-size ice rinks (one Olympic speed skater has already signed on to train there), a hockey skills training center, golf simulators, an Olympic-size Myrtha pool, a 6,000-square-foot indoor water park, climbing wall, health club, spa, yoga classes and a high-performance training center, where you might catch a glimpse of Washington Wizards center Dwight Howard (a regular) benching more than you. Plus (deep breath), on-site child care and a soon-to-open kids’ zone with Ninja Warrior-style obstacle courses, zip lines and a video gaming theater. Did we mention that Ovie is a founding member? That’s not all. In the fall, says general manager Robert Kram, the complex is set to unveil a Spike Mendelsohn restaurant and bar, a sneaker and apparel boutique, and a MedStar center with physical therapists and sports medicine specialists on location.
–Jenny Sullivan
