To spot The Podium, just look ahead and slightly to your left-it's the big, modern, angular building with striking orange accents perched above the playground and rocky landscaping, standing tall on a basalt outcrop.
Alright, sports fans-or sport-walkers, since you’re on a tour-welcome to The Podium Powered by STCU! Imagine, right now, you’re standing at the foot of a building that looks ready to host an Olympic medal ceremony at any second. And that’s no happy accident: that dramatic perch-the building towers over the North Bank, like it’s keeping an eye on all of Spokane-was designed to evoke exactly that winner’s podium feeling. Pretty inspiring stuff, huh?
But let me take you back in time for a moment. Imagine you’re in the early 2000s, and Spokane is buzzing with the dream of expanding its place in the sporting world. Back then, Spokane’s sports tourism was more of a sideline-good, but not quite championship material. There were whispers, then voices, and finally a chorus of people dreaming up something bold: a massive indoor sportsplex that could reel in athletes and fans from near and far.
It took a while for that dream to get traction. By 2014, they had something more than dreams-a real plan. Thanks to a helpful report from Gonzaga University, everyone found out that a place like this could bring a staggering $33 million in tourism spending to the region each year. I’m guessing that report was read with a LOT of coffee and a few excited high-fives.
But it was still a gamble, so the Spokane Public Facilities District-the folks who’d likely be in charge-commissioned a whole study to see if it was actually possible. The verdict? More than $101 million in impact in just five years! That’s enough zeros to make even an accountant run a victory lap.
With all those numbers adding up, the next big challenge was, well, finding the money-and wow, did that lead to some twists and turns. Construction companies competed for the job, but the contract wasn’t actually awarded until 2018, mostly because of dollar signs and doubts. Eventually, the team of Lydig Construction and Integrus Architecture got the call-cue the sound of blueprints unrolling everywhere.
Picture 2019: demolition crews moved in, Cataldo Avenue got a makeover, and the city got ready for the giant to rise. But in true underdog fashion, labor and materials shot up in price. Just when it seemed the project might be benched by rising costs, Spokane rallied-selling more bonds and pooling resources from city departments and even Spokane Parks to get the job done.
Construction steamed ahead even as the world hit pause during the pandemic. Turns out, The Podium was classified as essential, both for its future as a mass care center and because commitments for major athletic events had already been inked in permanent marker.
But wait! There’s a twist. Originally, this place was supposed to have an ice rink-can you picture a Zamboni cruising through here?-but that plan melted away because it needed more than just one rink to work financially. So they doubled down on versatility: 135,000 square feet, with 75,000 of that specifically as competition space. We’re talking a hydraulically banked 200-meter track, room for 16 volleyball courts, 9 basketball courts, and 21 wrestling mats all under one roof.
Naming time was another leap. After being known as the Spokane Regional Sportsplex, the team found just the right inspiration from the medal ceremony and those basalt rocks… and “The Podium” was born! By 2022, Spokane Teachers Credit Union joined the team as the naming sponsor.
Now, The Podium is true Spokane celebrity status-it’s hosted national championships in track, wrestling, handball, judo, badminton, and karate. No wonder SportsTravel magazine declared it one of America’s top sports venues to watch, and the “Best New or Renovated Venue” of 2022 across the entire country!
So while you’re standing here, just imagine the roar of crowds, the excitement of athletes chasing their dreams, and the way this place turned Spokane’s sporting hopes into a real, living legend. Now, go ahead and imagine yourself at the finish line-you made it to The Podium!
