Duluth’s Mayor announces new Indoor Athletics Venues Task Force

When you look around Duluth, you can check out many outdoor venues for sporting events year-round. Well, now the city is looking at ways to create and improve our indoor athletics venues.

The city of Duluth is looking to find ways to incorporate indoor venues with the help of a newly created Indoor Athletics Venues Task Force.

“It’s important when we put together this task force is assembled with people that can take a look at this holistic. We can not afford to not have turf wars about this program versus that program; so there needs to be equal weight. Hopefully, this will be one larger vision of what we need to do in Duluth, and I’m really looking forward to it,” said Todd Fedora, chair of the Indoor Athletics Venues Task Force.

This will be a volunteer group that will help evaluate opportunities for youth athletics venues in the city. “The epitomize for my excitement about being on the task force is because I’ve watched my kids grow through the athletics here in Duluth. I have seen how the facilities have been lacking compared to other communities. For a very long time, I have heard of folks suggesting that we look at improving our offerings here in Duluth.”

Fedora shares his idea on what he thinks athletic venues could look like in Duluth. “An under-roof athletic facility that includes some kind of composition of athletic turf would benefit both our young and our folks that want to get out and walk a little bit without having to put on three to four layers.

Even with Wednesday’s discussion, there are still going to be conversations focused on renovations to current facilities. “We may be talking about expansion or new facilities here in Duluth, but we also need to look at improving the facilities fields that we have already.”

On top of adding growth to the city, these new indoor venues can also bring a substance economic boost
“We have visitors who can buy into the opportunity or organized sports when they are here. This is actually tourism, but it’s finding the need for us to do this for our kids, and our families, and one another,” said Duluth Mayor Emily Larson.

If you’re interested in applying to become a member of the task force, applications are now being accepted through October 6th at 4:30 p.m. Click here for the link.