Teaming Up
CRANBERRY TWP — The UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex will open later this summer and could drastically alter the economic landscape of the township and the region.
Officials have been touting the benefits of the facility, which is expected to attract more than 500,000 people a year. That number is a “conservative” estimate, according to Rich Hixon, executive director of strategic planning for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The 185,000-square-foot facility, which cost more than $70 million to build, is at the intersection of Interstate 79 and Route 19.
The sports complex, operated jointly by the Penguins and UPMC, will serve both as a medical facility for UPMC and as a training site for the team.
There will be 54,000 square feet of space solely dedicated to the medical offices while the rest of the space will be for two ice rinks used by the Penguins.
Those rinks, which also will be used by the public for open ice times and sporting events, can seat more than 1,100 spectators.
“This facility will truly pull and attract people from all over the world,” said Ron Henshaw, Cranberry director of community development. “And everyone here stands to benefit, from the hotel industry to retail to restaurants and everyone in between.”
Henshaw was the first township official that representatives from UPMC and the Penguins talked with in 2013 when they expressed interest in building here.
He's been involved in every phase of the project, from planning and permitting to final approval by the township supervisors. Henshaw toured the building recently and got a firsthand look at what he said will become a “world-class facility.”
Hixon said there's no doubt the complex will spawn growth.“We look at this as a regional facility that will act as a catalyst for future development along that corridor,” he said. “It's going to be tremendous for the region.”Perhaps the biggest catalyst for the local economy will be the six to eight hockey tournaments that will be scheduled per year there. That doesn't seem like a big number, Hixon said, until it's factored in that each tournament could bring in up to 100 teams.“Those are people who will need hotels in addition to retail, restaurants and shopping,” Hixon said.The Penguins couldn't be happier to call Cranberry home, Hixon said, because of the developments that are already there. That's not to mention the proximity to major arteries such as Interstate 79 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike.“This facility is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of our relationship with Cranberry,” he said. “There's a lot of room for future opportunities there.”Nathan Burt, UPMC regional director of clinical operation, agreed with Hixon, and said he can't wait for the facility to open.“This will be the only building like it in the country, and we believe, the world, where a professional sports team will be co-located with a medical provider,” he said.UPMC expects a “significant patient volume” to come through the doors to access the medical provider's orthopedic clinic, concussion experts, physical therapists and other sports performance issues.The move to Cranberry represents a big step for UPMC, Burt said, but it's a step that was a long time coming.“This is a new market for us in terms of expanding this far north,” Burt said. “The site has excellent access with local roads so that will give us even better access to our patients.”Burt added that the physical therapy portion of the complex will overlook the two ice rinks so those being treated can also catch a professional hockey practice while at the doctor's office.
Jack Cohen, president of the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau, said that hotels have the most to gain from the complex.That's because Cohen negotiated an agreement with the Penguins and UPMC giving first preference to Butler County hotels from visitors to the sports complex.“We're talking hundreds and hundreds of people per tournament,” Cohen said. “Think about where they're going to stay and the gas they have to buy. Think about where they'll go for food and entertainment. The opportunity for trickle-down here is amazing.”Township manager Jerry Andree toured the facility several weeks ago. The facility is an affirmation that the planning done in Cranberry over the past two decades has paid off, Andree said.“We have a bright future here,” he said. “Seeing this facility coming in to Cranberry validates all the planning we've done to make Cranberry what it is. We're very excited about the future.”
Stan Kosciuszko, president of the Butler County Chamber of Commerce, said he's “very anxious” to see the facility up and running. It represents more than just an economic boost to Cranberry and the county, he said. Rather, it indicates the willingness of major corporations to call this area home.“It shows a true display of economic confidence in Butler County that these two entities would want to locate here,” he said. “It shows we're successful, and we're doing something right.”Kosciuszko echoed the sentiments of other officials saying the facility will attract people from around the world. However, he sees more than just temporary benefits.“Some people who come here might think about relocating to Butler County,” he said. “The facility could ultimately have a residential impact too.”County Commissioner Dale Pinkerton said he can't stress enough how important the new facility will be. Not just for Cranberry, he said.“We have a beautiful county, and if people (coming to the complex) want to go fishing at Moraine, it's going to be here. The whole thing will be a real plus for Butler County.”
