NEWS: Greater Williamsburg Sports and Events Center Gets General Manager
Plus, proposed logo and new website, 30 contracts score $355K, building 60% complete
The Board of Directors of the Historic Triangle Facilities Authority (HTRFA) will welcome a new General Manager for the $80M Greater Williamsburg Sports and Entertainment Center (GWSEC) at their regularly scheduled meeting tomorrow. A presentation expected to be given to the Board indicates that Ben Hardouin will take over managing the facility, bringing what is described as “over 30 years of high-level executive leadership experience in the health, fitness, and recreational industry.”
Also on the meeting agenda are updates from the operator and builder of the facility. The meeting will take place at 3PM on June 11, 2025 at the Stryker Center, 412 N. Boundary St and can also be watched live on the City’s website through the meeting agenda page.
HTRFA was created as a collaboration between Williamsburg, James City County and York County. The Board consists of a mix of public officials and representatives of several tourism-focused organizations, and is led by Chairman Andrew Trivette, who also serves as the Williamsburg City Manager. Much of the funding for the organization comes from an additional 1% sales tax and accommodation fees levied in the three jurisdictions.
The publicly owned 200,000 square foot sports and entertainment center is currently under construction on land owned by Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. According to a copy of a lease signed in May 2023, the regional authority currently pays $220K annually to rent the land. The Foundation is also guaranteed a percentage of parking fees and a $1 surcharge on all tickets sold.
Operator’s update
The sports center’s contracted operator of the $80M facility, KemperSports, provides a detailed update on their progress towards opening at each meeting of the Board. The information includes hiring, sports operations, as well as sales and marketing efforts.
General Manager selected
Previous agendas by the HTRFA state that there were 35 applicants for the General Manager role and that ultimately two were selected as final candidates, with Hardouin the final choice. The presentation states that he has managed “a wide scope of state-of-the-art projects including campus recreational centers, medical fitness centers, big box fitness centers, sports performance centers, multi-purpose recreational centers, and smaller niche boutique studios.” The new General Manager will now be tasked with building out the remaining management team including a Sports Director and Director of Sales and Marketing.
Logos and website
KemperSports expects to expand their sales and marketing efforts over the coming months, though progress has already been made, including developing proposed logos and launching a new website.
Several new recommended logos for the GWSEC will be presented to the Board tomorrow, including both primary and secondary logos, that will be integrated into an official brand guide for the facility.
“Over the last few months KemperSports has been working to identify an identity and logo for the Greater Williamsburg Sports and Events Center. They have presented numerous options to board members and advisory panels in an effort to narrow the review. Kemper Sports will present the results of their efforts, recommending a primary and a secondary logo for use in merchandising and official promotions,” states the agenda summary.
A new website has been created to help promote the sports complex. The site includes a page to collect leads for new event bookings, which bills the GWSEC as “Williamsburg’s premier destination for sports, tournaments, and special events.” The page goes on to state the “state-of-the-art facility is designed to host athletes and spectators alike, offering top-tier amenities, versatile spaces, and a vibrant atmosphere that caters to competitions of all levels.”
The sports center’s website also presents the new facility’s flexibility to serve different purposes. For example, the space can become 12 basketball courts, 24 volleyball courts, 36 pickleball courts, an adventure gym, as well as provide 100,000 square feet of indoor turf for other sports.
The progress of the GWSEC can also be followed on their recently launched social media accounts (Instagram: greater_williamsburg_sports / Facebook: Greater Williamsburg Sports and Event Center).
Bookings update
KemperSports reports multiple bookings for the late summer and fall of 2026, soon after the expected opening. Commitments have also been secured for January-August 2027. Thus far, the sports center has 30 committed dates, totalling $355K in expected contract revenue, a figure which is up from $105K in February and $225K in April. Stated next steps for the sales and marketing team include expanding efforts for sponsorships and conference services sales.
Events coming to Williamsburg
According to the latest report from Kemper, the following events have recently been booked or progressed through the sales pipeline:
Executed Contracts
Junior 3ssb Open Gym
Blue Silver Volleyball
Rich Comley
Contracts Pending Completion (at time of report)
New Inquiries
CVCU Volleyball
NASP Virginia
Jaimee Kitt Gymnastics
Builder’s update
According to the progress report submitted by building contractor MEB, the facility is on schedule to finish by August 4, 2025. Thus far, MEB reports that the building is 60% completed, site work and the “HUB space” (a services area that includes a commercial kitchen) are 40% completed, while the sports courts stand at 35% complete.
Major milestones that have been reached include completion of the roof. Getting the building dried in and with power is expected by August.
The Ground Lease between HTRFA and Colonial Williamsburg Foundation was provided without charge in response to a Freedom of Information request made to the City of Williamsburg. Download a copy below:
AI was used to research and compile data for this post.