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The largest air-supported sports dome in the world rose from the ground at SCHEELS Sports Park in the past two days and is now fully inflated. Named for its sponsor, the Springfield Clinic Dome is expected to be open for youth sports competitions late this year.
The dome is part of the SCHEELS Sports Park development at Legacy Pointe that will also feature outdoor turf fields for baseball, softball, football and soccer. The park is located behind the SCHEELS superstore on South MacArthur Boulevard in Springfield, just north of the Interstate 72 interchange.
The dome is 715 feet long and 275 feet wide – more than two football fields long – and 96 feet high at its peak. It will hold six full-size basketball courts that can be converted into 12 regulation volleyball courts, and it can also be configured for soccer and turf training areas.
“It’s exciting to see the dome go up – a place where thousands of youth will begin playing in the foreseeable future,” said Dirk McCormick, one of the developers of the SCHEELS Sports Park. “I’m sure that in recent months people have seen the construction equipment and the light posts for the outdoor fields as they drive by, but the dome is a remarkable landmark for our city.”
The New York-based ASATI company brought 60 years of innovative experience to the dome project. It has designed, engineered and built more than 5,000 air structures and received 27 U.S. and Global patents for its structures, fabric, air-delivery apparatus and interior lighting.
“We followed ASATI’s direction and used some of the same engineering concepts here in Springfield that they used previously for training facilities for 14 NFL teams,” said Chris Stritzel, project manager for the SCHEELS Sports Park. “ASATI tells us that they have seen a lot of these projects, and they are proud to say that the Springfield Clinic Dome is the largest air-supported sports structure in the world.”
He explained that the structure is inflated with sophisticated blowers that keep the dome pressurized at a safe level (backed up by generators in case of a power outage), and it can withstand external elements such as high winds and heavy snow.
In the next few months, construction crews will install the lighting, insulation, divider curtains, netting and athletic flooring inside the dome. “That makes it likely the dome will be ready for indoor basketball, volleyball or soccer before the end of 2025,” McCormick said. Tournaments on the outdoor fields at SCHEELS Sports Park are expected to begin in the spring of 2026.
“We’re excited to have this facility named the Springfield Clinic Dome,” said Jen Boyer, CEO of Springfield Clinic. “As the Official Health and Performance Partner of SCHEELS Sports Park at Legacy Pointe, we see this as our opportunity to create a one-of-a-kind destination that reflects the growing alignment between the healthcare and fitness industries. In addition to services like athletic training, physical therapy, strength and conditioning, nutrition, and general wellness, this location will also include a multi-specialty urgent care. Our vision is to help every person realize their potential. There’s an athlete in everyone, and we’re here to help you find yours.”
Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher congratulated the developers and sponsors and hailed the dome’s rising as a visible indicator of Springfield’s progress. “When I became mayor, so many people implored me to get this project across the finish line,” she said. “That’s why the city is doing everything we can to support this development. What a BIG day for Springfield.”
“This public-private partnership can be a model of how to get BIG things done in Springfield,” said Ryan McCrady, president and CEO of the Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance. “We should be proud of everyone involved and grateful for the developers, Dirk McCormick and Steve Luker, for having the vision for this transformational project and leading us to the finish line.”
O’Shea Builders provided a time-lapse of the dome-inflation.
About SCHEELS Sports Park at Legacy Pointe
The $60+ million SCHEELS Sports Park is expected to bring 250,000 new visitors to Springfield providing a $25+ million annual boost to the economy and 50,000 new overnight hotel stays.
Once completed, the SCHEELS Sports Park will have:
• A 196,625-square-foot indoor Springfield Clinic Dome that can be configured at different times for basketball courts, volleyball courts, a soccer field, two full size softball diamonds, performance and turf training areas.
• Outdoor facilities with multipurpose turf fields for baseball, softball, football and soccer.
The top private donors for this project are called “Pinnacle Partners,” which are SCHEELS and Springfield Clinic. The next level, “Vision Partners,” includes Bank of Springfield, Mammoth Sports Construction, LRS
and MJ Kellner. View the partners and sponsors of the park here and learn more about how to become a partner.
The park is a public-private development funded by the developers, sponsors, local lenders and a portion of the City of Springfield’s local hotel-motel tax and sales tax. Other local government bodies also took action that allowed this project to move forward. They are Springfield District 186, Sangamon County, Springfield Park District, SMEAA Board, SMTD, Springfield Airport Authority, Lincoln Land Community College and Capital Township.
In addition to the tournaments that will be hosted at the sports park on the weekends, several local user groups have already signed up to utilize the facilities: Springfield District 186, the Springfield Park District, Springfield Area Soccer Association (SASA) and The Hitting Center.
Brandon Doherty of the Sports Facilities Companies was hired in the fall of 2024 as the park’s general manager. He is responsible for the operations of the park including scheduling events and tournaments.
