Spooky Nook Sports begins hosting regular events this weekend

Dec. 9—HAMILTON — Athletic competitions and events are beginning this weekend to be a regular occurrence at the Spooky Nook complex.

While there are punch list items still needing to be addressed, for all intents and purposes, Spooky Nook is open for business, and Hamilton City Manager Joshua Smith said this moment in time "is a big deal."

"This project, which embraced its historic Champion Paper roots versus going the easier 'cookie cutter' route, gritted its way through a pandemic, supply chain issues, labor shortages, and a collapsed building," he said. "All the while, it generated enough excitement to lure a Hilton Tapestry to downtown Hamilton, several restaurants which have opened due to anticipated crowds, a robust Airbnb surge, and many local businesses to believe enough to open second storefronts."

This weekend, Spooky Nook Sports will host two events, the inaugural Winter Adult 3x3 Basketball Classic on Saturday and a Pickleball Party for "picklers" 18 and older on Sunday.

"It is truly a milestone for us to now welcome people of all ages to play and compete on our indoor courts," said Spooky Nook General Manager Scott Rodgers. "This has been a long time coming, and there is still work to do, but to have the community and athletes from across the region get to experience our complex is really exciting. Starting with our adult recreation events this month and leagues and youth tournaments starting in January, we are ramping up the activity at our facility and cannot wait to see everyone enjoying The Nook Champion Mill."

The last scheduled event for December is the Jingle Ballers: Adult Co-ed and Reverse Co-ed Volleyball Tournament on Dec. 17. The volleyball tournament will feature will include music and giveaways, and prizes for finalists.

This has been a long time coming, and there is still work to do, but to have the community and athletes from across the region get to experience our complex is really exciting. — Scott Rodgers, Spooky Nook general manager

Moving into January, the sports center will feature the Spooky Nook Sports Champion Mill and Field Hockey Life Youth Field Hockey Tournament on Jan. 7, and the biggest test to date will be on over the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend with the MLK Champion Mill Classic Youth Girls Volleyball Tournament. This event is expected to attract between 10,000 to 15,000 visitors to the city.

Though it's "gratifying" to see the facility opening, Smith said he and his crew at the city "are not stopping to catch our breath."

"We know we have to adjust quickly to traffic and work through the increased amount of development interest being generated by its completion," Smith said.

Other events include the Champion Mill Youth Futsal Classic on Feb. 4 and 5., the Shamrock Showdown, a girls' youth volleyball tournament, on March 18 and 19, and Spooky Nook Sports Champion Mill Shootout, a youth basketball tournament, on March 25 and 26.

It will far exceed everyone's expectations. — Dan Bates, Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce president and CEO

Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Dan Bates said while there have been delays and obstacles preventing the 1.2 million-square-foot facility from opening before this year — though parts of the $165 million project began opening earlier this year, such as the Warehouse Hotel and the sections of the Champion Mill Convention Center — "everything is coming together."

"When it is fully operational, it will not only be what has been promised, as far as a positive impact, but it will far exceed everyone's expectations, both in the local economy, tourism traffic, and the entire region," he said.

This is the second Spooky Nook facility. The first opened in Lancaster, Penn., and Bates said that facility opened one piece at a time over several years. The Hamilton Spooky Nook facility has also opened one piece at a time, but over several months, "which is also quite an amazing accomplishment."

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SPOOKY NOOK SPORTS CHAMPION MILL SCHEDULE

Schedule of events in the next few months at Spooky Nook Sports Champion Mill in Hamilton: — Saturday: 1st Annual Winter Adult 3x3 Basketball Classic — Sunday: Pickleball Party (18+) — Dec. 17: Jingle Ballers: Adult Co-ed and Reverse Co-ed Volleyball Tournament — Jan. 7: Spooky Nook Sports Champion Mill and Field Hockey Life Youth Field Hockey Tournament — Jan. 14 to 16: MLK Champion Mill Classic Youth Volleyball Tournament (Girls) — Feb. 4 and 5: Champion Mill Futsal Classic (Youth) — March 18 and 19: Shamrock Showdown (Girls Youth Volleyball) — March 25 and 26: Spooky Nook Sports Champion Mill Shootout (Youth Basketball)

ONLINE

Get an early look at a video that showcases the 28 basketball courts inside the Spooky Nook Sports complex.