New Pool Attendance Record Set

Sports*Com Pool Breaks Attendance Record

July 2, 2010

   July 1 was a record-breaking day for Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Department (MPRD) as its new water park at Sports*Com attracted the facility’s highest number of visitors and the most revenue in history.
   The fun began with a grand opening at 10 a.m. that drew a number of dignitaries and a host of visitors to the facility’s official first day.
   “We had 1,300 people pay to use Sports Com today,” stated Tommy Gregory, Sports*Com Operations Coordinator.  “We had 1,161 people pay to use Sports Com from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and we had about 350 people come through between 10 and 11 a.m.
   There were two lines for people to pay to get in,” he added. “Bart Fite (Sports*Com Superintendent) and I took customers with correct change in one line [with the help of some of the ladies from the (Rutherford County) Chamber of Commerce helping put on wristbands] and the rest of the customers went through the regular entrance.
   “We were able to get them through in about 15 to 20 minutes,” he said.
   Along with the record attendance came record revenue, he reported. Outdoor pool admissions generated $2,067, concessions generated $2,011.60 and $1,246 came in from indoor admissions for a total of $5,324.60 for the day.
   In comparison, he said during seven previous years the best day for admissions was July 4, 2007 when $1,457 in revenue was generated and the most revenue for concessions was $1,142 on June 2, 2009.
   “As director,” MPRD Director Lanny Goodwin said. “I am proud of the commitments made by the Mayor, City Council, and the City Manager to ensure that our residents have the best quality of life possible in Murfreesboro. 
   “The new outdoor water park at Sports*Com will provide all of our citizens of all ages a great place to come and have fun in a safe and friendly environment,” he added. “Individuals, families, and visitors to our community will enjoy benefits of this facility for many years to come.”
   Under constructions for several months, the $3.6 million facility features water slides, rope monkey bars, a variety of fountains and a dumping bucket that periodically “dumps” water on younger visitors using the zero-depth part of the pool. There is also a diving area that is 12 feet deep.
   Fifty certified lifeguards alternate between the indoor pool at Patterson Park Community Center and Sports*Com, 10 of which will be on duty at the new pool at any given time though the number may vary depending on need, MPRD Aquatics Coordinator Nate Williams explained.
   The new pool is open in time for the July 4 holiday and events that surround it, including the annual Celebration Under the Stars which gets underway that evening at McKnight Park, which is adjacent to Sports*Com.