Jonesboro, AR – Jonesboro Right Now – Members of the Jonesboro Advertising and Promotion (A&P) Commission heard updates on the progress of the upcoming First Community Bank Sportsplex during its meeting on Thursday.

Construction for the complex remains ongoing, with crews having recently completed installation of basketball goals and volleyball nets, as well as scoreboards in the facility’s gym space. In the building’s natatorium, the ceiling painting is about 75 percent complete, with lights, speakers, electronics, and more to be installed upon completion, according to A&P Commission executive director Craig Rickert.

“Things are really taking shape,” Rickert told commissioners.

The middle of the building, nicknamed “the pie,” has two floors, of which concrete for the second floor will be poured by Friday. This will be where visitors enter the building, as well as be the home of the recently named Red Wolves Cafe and administrative offices. Rickert said steel installation in the space is about 80 percent complete, after which crews will begin installing electrical work, glass, and more.

Waterslides for the facility’s waterpark have been installed, and concrete for the planned splashpad will be poured next week, Rickert said. Tile coating is being installed in the facility’s lazy river.

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Rickert said the facility remained on track to open to the public and host events sometime during the first quarter of 2027.

“We want to have some pad time between being open and doing some soft events, like making sure the pizza’s hot, making sure the drinks are cold, the showers are hot,” Rickert said. “We want to make sure that we have some soft opening type stuff before we really head into big tournaments where people are coming to town.”

He added that with the facility’s projected late winter/early spring opening, the complex’s outdoor aquatics spaces would not open at that same time, giving crews time to ensure everything was working and water chemicals were properly regulated.

The 200,000-square-foot complex, located on Race Street, will feature gyms with courts for basketball, volleyball, and pickleball, as well as a 35,000-square-foot events center. It will feature a 50-meter pool with diving boards, and a recreational warm-up/cool-down pool will be installed.

The center’s second story will have viewing areas for the courts and pool, with 1,245 spectator seats dedicated to the 50-meter pool.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the complex was held in April 2025, and the facility celebrated a topping off ceremony in late June, signifying the general structure’s completion.

In addition, the complex’s general manager, Brandon Shrader, gave updates on event bookings, sponsorship opportunities, and staff hiring.

So far, he said 20 event weekends had been booked, which represented over 52 dates. During those dates, attendees were expected to stay in Jonesboro around two to three nights per event.

“That’s what we always want to see,” Shrader said.

He added that some of the planned events were so large that he was working with the city’s Parks and Recreation department to utilize space, such as at Allen Park or Parker Park.

Shrader said the facility hired a marketing coordinator about a month ago, and that social media for the complex would likely begin rolling out within the next few days. He added that a website for the facility was due to launch soon.

First Community Bank Sportsplex leadership have made an offer for an operations manager, who Shrader said currently works with the University of Arkansas. This person is expected to begin working at the complex likely in mid-October.

Shrader added that the facility was working on securing sponsorships, most of which he could not disclose due to many of them still being under contract.

“Really happy where we are with sponsorships and as the building gets done and we see what other space is available, I think we’re definitely going to have even more coming in,” Shrader said.

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