Sponsored by Adventure Sports and Entertainment Complex
When youth athletes, parents and sports fans in central New Jersey and beyond see the Adventure Sports & Entertainment (ASE) complex, they’re sure to say “Wow.”
Right next to Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ, ASE is a first-of-its-kind sports facility that can accommodate just about any sporting event. It’s packed to the gills with multiple playing fields and facilities, plus a multitude of amenities.
The “play-and-stay,” 87-acre complex is anticipated to open in early 2019.
”All of the pieces are in the works now. Now we’re starting to see real progress” said Allan Proske, CFO of ASE. “The vision is to deliver a sports entertainment experience, unparalleled in the Northeast Corridor.”
Cardinale Enterprises is developing the sprawling, $21 million complex with more than 250,000 square feet of multi-use outdoor turf fields, 55,000 square feet of high-performance convertible hard courts for volleyball and basketball, 50,000 square feet of high-quality indoor turf for multiple sports and training activities, and 12,000 square feet of a freestanding indoor clubhouse for baseball and softball training, complete with batting cages and tunnels. In addition, there will be an 89-foot-tall, 17,000-117,000 square-foot air-dome bubble with a two-story mezzanine viewing area connected to a 45k square foot facility, making it one of New Jersey’s largest sports and entertainment facilities.
Inside the facility will include a sizable sports bar and grill, an 6,000 square foot Jersey Shore-themed arcade, rock-climbing wall, and a multilevel laser tag facility and you’ll have one incredible sports and entertainment destinations.
The facility will be adjacent to two hotels making it convenient for travel teams staying in the area as well.
In addition to offering sports fields and facilities, ASE will include multiple “party” rooms with adjacent space for team meetings, conference, and events.
ASE will also offer retail space to provide equipment and sports-based accessories. The facilities are also built to accommodate various entertainment including outside concerts and community events.
There are future plans to build a banquet/convention center, and youngsters will be interested to know that the next phase is expected to include a trampoline park, ninja course and other recreational activities.
“For a long time, many people have dreamed about a unique sports offering like Disney’s Wide World of Sports next to Jackson’s Six Flags,” said Proske. “Cardinale Enterprises’ founder and president, Vito Cardinale turned that dream into a real vision.” Along with Randy Johnson, a local businessman and developer, Cardinale Enterprises bought the land and started to use its construction and engineering backgrounds to develop the concept.
“By developing a first-class, multi-day and stay complex, we’re providing a unique destination for athletes and their families to play and enjoy sports and entertainment year-round in a convenient location,” said Vito Cardinale in a statement.
Proske then joined the team, bringing his recreation and travel-sports experience, in additional to an extensive background in finance.
When the complex was in the planning stages, local sports groups were extremely interested in ASE, and vice versa.
“There’s been a lot of community involvement from the organizations―a lot of people have reached out to us,” Proske noted. “It’s great. Local teams from the rec level to expert travel [teams] are sitting down with us so we can incorporate their needs in our facility.”
ASE has plans on supporting nearby communities by accommodating local, recreational, and travel teams by hosting a wide variety of games, events and tournaments.
“With strong local ties, we see an opportunity to serve the local community―to provide programs focused on teaching core values [integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership] and life lessons through teamwork and sports,” he added. “They belong to and support such organizations as Play Like A Girl, NYCT and the NAIA, and want to continue instilling these similar agendas.”
Proske’s plans are inclusive, as well.
“Too many recreational offerings still do not provide equal access to girls; too many club sports focus on winning at any cost; and too many travel sports price the family out of participating,” he said. “By creating a national sports destination, we can also provide an opportunity for the local communities to improve and expand the local sports programs for everyone to participate.”
Cardinale Enterprises has future plans for expansion at ASE that would include hotels, a banquet/convention center and additional recreational attractions, but for now, Proske is excited to see the ASE doors open for the young athletes. He’s also anxious to see the positive economic and recreational impact it will have on the area. With ASE centrally located between the New York metro area, the New Jersey shore and Philadelphia, it is expected to bring in a large number of visitors. This will provide a big boost to the local economy, projected to have an approximate $13.5 million benefit annually.
“Just the first phase will attract thousands of athletes and require 200 employees,” he enthused.
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