The new Amend Recreation Center at Amend Park opened its doors to the public Tuesday night in Billings.
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Officials say the $20 million facility is a game-changer for recreational sports in Billings and will also draw thousands of people to town for tournaments each year.
The public got its first look inside the 57,000-square-foot building, known as the ARC, after the ribbon was cut.
Brittani Hoiness was one of the speakers. Her father, the late Dick Zier, was a long-time advocate for the recreation center.
“The building is complete, but the mission is only beginning. It will take continued community support, sponsorships, volunteers, and donors to ensure that no child is left behind and that every family has the opportunity to be a part of what happens here,” Hoiness said.
The project was funded by the South Billings Urban Renewal District tax-increment financing district.
“We believe this investment will transform south Billings, provide opportunities for generations of families and strengthen our community,” said Mark Mayott of the South Billings Urban Renewal Association.
There is 47,000 square feet of court space— enough for four college-size basketball courts or eight middle-size basketball courts— making it the largest continuous hardwood floor in the state and one of the largest in the entire Northwest. It will be used for multiple sports—basketball, volleyball, pickleball, and dance among them.
“This building shows that we can do hard things in this community and we can do them very well and it just provides a great future for us in the community,” said Gavin Woltjer, Billings Parks and Recreation director.
Woltjer says 17 tournaments have already been booked for the new facility as the doors open for the first time, with 30 to 40 tournaments a year expected once it gets going.
