There?s no place like home, unless it?s a new $25 million spot to hang your hat ? or your stick.
U.S. Lacrosse, the Baltimore-based national governing body for of lacrosse, is trying to find a new base of operations. The proposed location is a parcel of land in Harbor Point that would house a 42,000-square-foot building consisting of classrooms, office space and training areas.
This unique facility would feature a 3,000-seat exhibition and training arena that would support a new location for the National Lacrosse Museum and Hall of Fame, said Steve Sternersen, executive director of U.S. Lacrosse.
“We have been working hard on this behind the scenes for the last 18 months,” Sternersen said. “Our goal is to remain in Maryland and build a facility that people can be proud of.”
The organization is pinning its hopes on obtaining grants from the state grants totaling just under $10 million over the next two years.
“We are committed to raising the rest of the balance privately,” Sternersen said. “But we do need state and city support to move forward.”
U.S. Lacrosse currently leases a 12,000-square-foot building from Johns Hopkins University near its Homewood campus, but the 9-year-old nonprofit organization has outgrown the space.
“The lacrosse museum has been growing, which is a great sign,” said Nancy Hinds, a spokeswoman for the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association. “The fact that we might be getting them downtown right in the middle of the action where all the people are will give us another thing to sell the tourists and drive traffic to a relatively new area.”
The Baltimore Development Committee also is assisting U.S. Lacrosse in finding a new home.
“We are working with [U.S. Lacrosse] to identify a space that would be best for them,” said Celeste Amato, BDC?s managing director of business development. “I think [Harbor Point] would be a great location for them.”
