By Dan D’Addona.
Coming off of hosting big meets like the U.S. Winter National Championships and the U.S. Junior National Championships, the Greensboro Aquatic Center is aiming even bigger.
The facility has begun an $8.2 millions expansion of its facility to open a fourth pool in the aquatic center.
“We were honored to be awarded both meets back to back. That really hasn’t happened much for any facility,” Greensboro Aquatic Center Manager Susan Braman said. “We opened in Sept. 2012. Some of our goals were to get NCAAs in an 8-10 year period, but we have been very fortunate.”
That has led to the most recent expansion project. It will be connected to the existing aquatic center and add eight more long-course lanes (and 19 short course). It is scheduled to be finished this summer.
“Over 100,000 square feet. There might not be a pool that has that size. We are underway with the addition with a fourth long-course pool here. We have over 2,100 square feet being added. We are getting the pool, more deck space and more locker room,” Braman said. “It is really two-fold. One purpose is so we can accommodate the six teams that train year-round. We want to be able to keep them going when we host meets. We have been displacing our teams to host meets.”
In addition to December’s winter nationals and junior nationals, the facility has hosted the NCAA Championships and the YMCA Championships.
“It is a great addition for our bids. It certainly gives us more flexibility,” Braman said.
The facility has bid for the Olympic trials in the past and has its eye on any and all opportunities in the future.
“We have someone heading to Switzerland to learn more about the world championships,” Braman said. “We hope one day they will look at us again for that. We are very hopeful to be hosting one of the pro series in the next cycle. I look forward to learning more about it and what is involved in hosting it. We would like to host the men’s Division I. That is definitely a goal for us. We were fortunate to have the women.”
In that meet, Missy Franklin had the best college meet of her career and led Cal to the national championship.
Photo Courtesy: Greensboro Aquatic Center
She isn’t the only big name to have a big meet in Greensboro.
“We went through those winter nationals with big names. We couldn’t have been happier with winter nationals,” Braman said. “We had not done a long course nationals before. We had 12 Olympians and 27 of our 28 long-course pool records were broken. Katie Ledecky did the 200, 400, 800. It was just so exciting with NBC covering it. That was another great event for us, getting back into the groove.”
While the big meets were happening, big construction was going on just outside for the new addition.
It will be big not just for the facility, but the community.
“In general, the big meets all have huge economic impact — $3M to the local economy,” Braman said. “For us, as a facility, it is not a huge money-maker, but it is a good support for our community. It has helped the growth of our swim clubs around here. It will give us a little more balance with the community, too, with swimming lessons and other programs as well. We have graduated more than 5,000 second graders from our learn to swim program. That is an important piece, too. We have a tremendous amount of learn to swim and water programs here. I think this will help us balance more.”
A new wave of flexibility will be upon Greensboro this summer.
“We were a little ahead of schedule, but the hurricanes and snow pushed it back to normal. We have the same pool builders and construction companies. The rate they are getting accomplished is amazing,” Braman said. “I am fortunate that my boss, Matt Brown, has a lot of vision. We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him. We hosted the summer nationals at the Hall of Fame pool years ago. Now, we did it again. That was special for us.”
Erica Zuercher Thomas
We were there last weekend. Takes away a ton of parking unfortunately
Wow
And we can’t even get one dedicated aquatic center here!!! ???
Tim Conley Danyelle Grondin Parker wow
Erin Carne McConkey Yep fully under construction when we were there a few weeks ago.
Danyelle Grondin Parker that’s wild!
Must be nice.
The site of USA Swimming Regional Build a Pool Conference on January 4&5. Join us to learn how to develop a plan to build a aquatic facility that is functional and sustainable. http://Www.usaswimming.org/Buildapool
JAXSPORTS, can you send someone to learn more? Jacksonville desperately needs a quality aquatics center and would be an ideal location for major events.
Kate Kaduboski
Wow!
Mara Torres
Gwynn Evans Harrison
Haley Saunders pretty cool, right? I don’t think it will affect the ODAC meet. We will have our meet in the same pool.
Congratulations, Greensboro. It’s great to see my hometown investing in swimming.
I bet I could find a lap lane there!!