The sports and events facility located in Corridor Plaza has recently been taken over by several members of The Better Way Project, an initiative launched by a group of local real estate investors who are encouraging local investment and positive change as part of a larger economic development campaign.

The facility has been rebranded as the Better Way CourtPlex and is now under new management.

“I think we can all agree that the Pavilion project got off to a rough start,” said Matt Johnson, of The Better Way Project. “But regardless of how it all originally transpired, we didn’t want to lose sight of what the facility was intended to do for the community, which was to promote sports tourism and bring visitors to town to stay in our hotels, shop at our stores, and drive further economic development.”

Johnson said that the original developers and management company, all from the Des Moines area, have now been expunged from the project and the property is now fully under local control.

“In our opinion, this is literally day one for the facility,” Johnson said. “It technically opened late last year, but right from the start it was fraught with opposition, management challenges and a lack of commitment and energy from the original out-of-town developers.”

“We first got involved as silent partners last year, but as the facility was opened and we saw over time that not much was happening, we started digging deeper and getting more involved, to the point that we finally had no other choice but to get the original group out of here and take it over ourselves,” he added.

Johnson said that the background work is now complete, and while there will still be a few lingering issues to tackle from the previous regime, the facility can now move forward with its original intended purpose.

Jeff Meyer, another leader of The Better Way Project, took the early initiative in the management change and rebranding effort.

“We have a new website built, new social media accounts, and the new signage is being installed next week,” he said. “The fact that the building to this day has never had a sign placed on it is a pretty good example of why the Pavilion has failed to thrive thus far.”

Meyer said the transition team has also started scheduling events and programming local sports tournaments and competitions. He said they have been interviewing professional sports management companies from around the country to help with programming regional tournaments and larger events.

“We’ve had three different companies travel to Fort Dodge to meet with us and tour the facility,” Meyer said. “Based on those site visits, interviews and proposals, we have selected the company we are most excited about and are now finalizing our contract with them.”

“We freely acknowledge that our local ownership and investment group are not experts in the sports tourism industry, so we are bringing in the big guns to help us do that critical work,” Meyer added.

He said the CourtPlex has recently applied for a liquor license so the facility can start selling beer and wine during age-appropriate events.

Steve Specht, one of the on-site facility managers, said the transition team recently gathered for two straight days at the CourtPlex to focus solely on positive new changes at the facility.

“There were corporate sponsors who signed up several months ago and to date not a single banner has ever been hung in the facility,” he said. “We’ve now reached out to all of them, got most of the artwork that we needed, and ordered the first batch of sponsorship banners which will be arriving in the coming days.”

He added that in the past few days three more local companies have committed to sponsorships to show their support for the rebranded facility.

“What we’re finally able to do with this place now that we have local control over it is amazing,” Specht said. “I’ve never been more excited to go to work in my entire life.”

Fellow Facilities Manager Logan Carlson said that the transition team has now scheduled several community events for the month of June.

“We will have a booth at SummerFest downtown next weekend and will be sharing information with everyone who comes by,” Carlson said. “We start with two ‘free play’ days on June 1 and 2 where we are inviting anyone and everyone to come experience the facility for themselves at no charge. We’re aware that the majority of the community has not yet set foot inside the facility and we want everyone to have an opportunity to come and see what we have to offer without having to pay for admission.”

He added that the June schedule includes a dodgeball tournament, a three-on-three basketball tournament, Wednesday nights offer half-price day passes, and “Horse Night” competitions are scheduled on Thursday nights later in the month. Play 4 Him Academy has a weekend basketball tournament scheduled over Father’s Day weekend.

Specht and Carlson said memberships to the Better Way CourtPlex are available at the facility, and soon will be available on the facility’s new website. Single memberships are $35 monthly or $30 per month for an annual commitment. Seniors receive a $5 discount off either membership.

Family memberships are $85 monthly and $75 per month annually.

Single-day passes are also available for $10 per person or $40 for families.

The Better Way CourtPlex currently offers basketball courts, volleyball courts, pickleball courts, batting cages and pitching bullpens.

Individual courts as well as the entire facility can be rented for practices, private competitions and special events.

For more information about the Better Way CourtPlex, please visit the website at www.betterwaycourtplex.com or call the facility at 515-515-4142.