Henderson is opening 180,000-square-foot complex for amateur youth and adult sports
On Oct. 16, Henderson, Nevada, will be the home of a new 180,000-square-foot sports complex. For the city, growing fast in terms of housing, F&B and entertainment, Henderson Sport & Social is a welcome addition.
“The city of Henderson recognized a pent-up demand for a youth sports facility in the area. As Henderson grows very rapidly, they wanted to make sure this area of town, West Henderson, had youth sports accessible to the public,” says Jeff Swanlund, general manager for Henderson Sport & Social.
The pent-up demand Swanlund mentions is no exaggeration; he says the facility is already fully booked from October through December, with an event taking place every weekend. Twenty-seven events are booked for 2027; the facility will also have its own sports programming. In February 2027, the facility will host Rhythmic gymnastics, its largest event so far, with 3,600 athletes over three days. Sports event planners interested in hosting a tournament can inquire here.
What to Expect
When it opens, Henderson Sport & Social will feature two indoor turf fields for soccer and football and four basketball courts that double as eight volleyball courts. These courts can also be used for jujitsu, gymnastics and cheer, all of which the facility already will be hosting tournaments for.
In addition to sports, Swanlund says, they offer additional amenities, such as 20 bowling lanes, including six VIP lanes that can be booked for private events; 70 arcade games, such as Krazy Darts; a mini-golf course; party rooms and a fitness facility that locals can pay a membership to. There’s also a child-watch area.
Swanlund says the VIP bowling area makes for a venue to host a private party, team celebration or corporate event. “You can reserve that to have a private, more exclusive experience,” he says. “The finishes, like the lighting, furniture, and the food and beverage options, are a little bit higher elevated.”
“This is special,” Swanlund says. “Between games, this allows teams to eat at our full-service restaurant and bar during things such as tournament weekends, or to play around at laser tag or enjoy the arcade while they have a couple hours between games. The parents can enjoy the restaurant and bar and even bring the alcoholic beverages out onto the courts to sit in the bleachers.”
Community Partnerships
The facility has several partners, such as Wow Carwash, a popular drive-thru carwash in the city, and West Henderson Hospital, through which Henderson Sport & Social will engage in community engagement activations. Swanlund says the hospital partnership is interesting because of its direct community benefits.
“They’re going to be hosting the team’s CPR and AED training,” Swanlund says. “They’re also setting up tents and activations at our facility to educate people on the initiatives they have going on throughout the year. Sometimes it’ll be about heart health, sometimes about diabetes. We really think that that partnership is great.”
The facility will begin activating its partnerships from the very first day. On opening weekend, Henderson Sport & Social will host a silent auction from Oct. 16 through Oct. 17. All the funds generated will benefit Cure 4 The Kids Foundation.
A Seamless Experience
Swanlund says one of Henderson Sport & Social’s greatest appeals is allowing sports event planners can do everything under one roof. “They don’t have to do an end-of-event party or trophy celebration at another facility or go to a different place for food and beverage. Our food and beverage has a huge capacity,” he says “That’s one thing about KemperSports—with our 150-plus golf courses and 30-plus youth sports facilities—we’re good at food and beverage. So, after or in the middle of your event, we have the space and the capability to give you the food and beverage, so you can stay in one spot.”
Swanlund equates the facility to Dave and Buster’s, in terms of the size and scope of Henderson Sport & Social’s family entertainment center. “We have so many more amenities than a traditional youth and amateur sports events facility,” he says.
Henderson Sport & Social is placed on a major street in Henderson, nearby various hotels. Swanlund says Henderson Sport & Social has existing partnerships with hotels, should event planners need it. “But we’re also happy to say we don’t require it,” he says. “A lot of venues require you to partner with a particular property. If an events rights holder has an existing relationship with other properties, they can certainly continue to use those, but we can save you the work by just using our partnered hotels.”
