BRYAN, Texas — Legends Event Center has been open to the public a little more than a year. It opened its doors in December 2022. 15ABC took a look back at their impact on the Bryan/College Station community.
- The facility has hosted national sporting tournaments, community events, Aggie events, church workshops, the Junior League Charity Ball, as well as being open to the public for open gym days.
- The facility hosts more non-sports events than most other sports facilities locations across the country.
- It has been able to meet a need for large event space as well as smaller community events throughout the week.
BROADCAST SCRIPT:
I’m Simona Barca, your neighborhood reporter in Bryan/College Station. A little over a year ago, Legends Event Center opened their doors to the community.
Since then, they’ve hosted an array of sports events, community events, and even formed some unexpected partnerships.
“Our focus is bringing people into the area, whether it's through Sports, Tourism, tournaments, special events, career fairs, trade shows, but we want to showcase what Brian has to offer.”
That’s Jamie Cox, the general manager at Legends Event Center in Bryan.
“I have a senior in high school, a freshman in high school, sixth grader and a second grader."
QUESTION: And they're all homeschooled?
"They're all homeschooled.“
And this is Lamar Ontko, a homeschool mom and teacher.
How did their two paths cross?
“The Bryan/College Station area has had a strong homeschooling community,” Ontko said.
“Homeschool here is very large in this area. I did not realize that that was going to be such a popular, we would be such a popular destination for them not just to homeschool athletes, but the organizations are looking for extra, maybe meeting space or classroom space,” Cox said.
The Brazos Valley Community Homeschool Center meets at Legends Event Center every week for classes.
A homeschooling group and a sports event facility may not seem like an instinctive match. But Cox said that’s what makes their facility so unique.
“We're not just a sports facility, we are a space that the community can utilize and enjoy the entertainment options as well.”
Cox said weekends events at the facility are already booked out until nearly the end of July – which is growth they weren’t expecting until the third or fourth year. He said it’s a testament of the community’s need for a space like this.
Legends Event Center will continue to expand in 2024 – adding outdoor volleyball courts, which will be open to the public in the next few months.
Reporting in Bryan, I’m Simona Barca.