Bo Jackson's Elite Sports Complex Coming to Avon

Avon will be the new home of a Bo Jackson's Elite Sports Complex (Bo Jackson's Elite).

Representatives from the corporate headquarters in Lockport, IL,  addressed council June 24 and said Avon will be the second Ohio location, and expect the 113,000-sq-ft., 72-ft. high domed center to be open in 2014-15 if they get the go-ahead from the city of Avon.

Ground is expected to be broken on a complex in Hilliard, OH in the upcoming weeks.

The Avon complex would be located in the recreation area that currently houses the French Creek YMCA and the Lake Erie Crushers.

Bo Jackson's Elite CEO and partner Dev Pathik, who gave the presentation along with company COO John Flanagan, said Matt Perry of the Lake Erie Crushers called headquarters, recommending Avon to Pathik and after reviewing “amazing” demographics, decided that Avon would be a perfect location.

“This would level the playing field (with warm-weather climates) with a weatherproof year-round indoor sports training center,” Flanagan said. 

Bo Jackson's Elite would fully fund the center, expected to cost $6 million.

The complexes are owned by NFL/MLB star Bo Jackson and former MLB star John Cangelosi.

The primarily turf center would also have food concessions, a Nike showroom, physical rehabilitation services and a Gatorade-designed hydration/fuel bar.

Bo Jackson's Elite currently partners with both Nike and Gatorade.

Part of the deal with the city would be to offer 40 hours per week inventory of time for Avon Schools P &R and community programming.

Bo Jackson's Elite will operate the facility which would employ part-time employees as well as eight full-time employees.

The company can also work with Avon officials to produce a sports tourism operation to bring events to Avon, including tournaments.

Flanagan said they expected to draw some of the 400,000 – 500,000 “door swings” annually from throughout the Midwest. The cost is $20 per hour, and statistics from other facilities show an average stay of 2.5 hours per person.

Hours for the Avon facility have not yet been set.

The center would cater to professional and amateur athletes as well as fitness enthusiasts, teams, coaches, parents, schools, parks and rec, corporate groups and partners.

 But Flanagan said the “Elite” in the title did not refer necessarily to elite athletes.

“This doesn’t mean the facility is just for the elite athlete, but for all athletes at all levels,” he said. “We’re training the athletes from the inside out.” 

A local coach said he was concerned that the center could affect Avon teams ability to fundraise through camps.

What it will contain

Floor plan

The Avon center would contain a full size baseball diamond (larger than Rockport’s), a girls softball field, batting cages, a three-lane, 80-yard, laser timed track, and a multipurpose field striped for soccer and football.

The center will also have an additional multifunctional turf, strength and conditioning center.

“There’s also an athletic development area. – more like a Cross Fit environment,” Pathik said. 

“Kids are deciding to play one sport only at a younger age,” Flanagan said.
We feel there’s a loss of skill set there.”

The center will also feature a “gauntlet,” a multifunctional piece of equipment that helps one coach themselves, particularly in fear-related situations. The apparatus allows participants to conquer a number of feats including bole climbing and other feats while at a significant height.  

“You talk yourself out of fear, and pair perception of fear with physical experience,” Flanagan said of the apparatus.

See attached video for a look inside the smaller, Lockport facility. 

Support from Avon

“This is a great program and a great facility, “ Avon Mayor Jim Smith said.

He expected attendees to drive up to 90 minutes to attend the center, which will  also contain an

It will be on part of the 72 acres still available, situated close to the YMCA. 

“This is just one of the key pieces to the puzzle,” Smith said, noting that getting kids more involved in anything athletic is a good thing.