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BIZ BUZZ

POCATELLO

Idaho’s largest indoor soccer facility will be housed in Pocatello’s old Naval Ordnance Plant

POCATELLO – A historic building on the north side of Pocatello will soon be the home of what a local soccer club says is Idaho’s largest indoor soccer facility.

The 120,000-square-foot Portneuf Valley Soccer Club Sports Complex is slated to open in March inside the old Naval Ordnance Plant at 669 Quinn Road.

Greater Idaho Falls Chamber CEO Paul Baker is the club’s executive director and he tells EastIdahoNews.com the soccer complex will accommodate student and adult leagues throughout eastern Idaho.

“We have a certain amount of time carved out for PVSC teams, but we’ve had lots of folks reaching out about adult leagues, co-ed leagues, and other sports clubs wanting to use the facility,” Baker says. “Players for any sport can use the facility in Pocatello.”

There will be four 9v9 size fields (slightly smaller than a full size soccer field) with netting and padding lining the outside. There will also be an area for coaching and a seating area for spectators. A store, office space, conference rooms and classrooms for coaches and soccer club staff will occupy the rest of the space.

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Baker, a native of England, has been involved in coaching soccer for many years. Before moving to Idaho Falls in 2021, he reached out to Idaho Falls High School Soccer Coach Ryan Cook because his son was interested in joining the team.

Baker’s son ended up finishing high school in England, but Baker continued networking with Cook. They developed a friendship and Baker later helped him coach the Idaho Falls team.

Cook recently became a soccer coach in Pocatello and that’s when Baker was introduced to the Portneuf Valley Soccer Club.

The lack of indoor facilities for soccer and other sports is what prompted Baker to pursue this project.

“I’ve been working behind the scenes with the president (of the club) and the board, trying to get the structure right and get them in a good financial position to invest in a facility like this,” Baker says.

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Brent Wilson with TOK Commercial brought the old Naval Ordnance building to his attention and Baker liked what he saw.

“It’s a little quirky in its layout and the building is old, but there’s something nice about converting a building of historical importance and bringing young people inside to play sports,” he says.

The fact that it’s visible from Interstate 15 and is centrally located off Yellowstone Highway is another thing that appealed to him.

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The space is one of 23 buildings that make up what is now the Titan Center. Industrial Realty Group bought the property in 2021 in hopes of attracting commercial tenants. The soccer complex will be the site’s first occupant to begin operation.

“The site has an incredible history, but we truly believe the best is yet to come,” IRG President Stuart Lichter said in a 2021 news release.

The building’s history and future in Pocatello

The Naval Ordnance Plant was first commissioned in 1942 and was used to manufacture and refurbish guns for battleships fighting overseas during World War II.

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That same year, the U.S. Navy selected about 173,130 acres of land 60 miles northwest of Pocatello as a naval proving ground, a place to fire and test the reconditioned battle guns taken from the Pocatello plant.

This desert site near Arco is now the home of the Idaho National Laboratory.

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The Pocatello plant was decommissioned in the 1950s. It sat vacant for many years.

Baker plans to highlight its history for those who visit.

“There’s some original signage in the building that we want to restore and make sure there’s still some historical reference to what took place in that ordnance plant,” says Baker.

A grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held once it’s complete.

The indoor aspect is phase one of the project. Baker’s goal is to add outdoor fields in the near future.

As the initial phase winds down, Baker is excited to unveil it to the community and to give local athletes a place to play year-round.

“This facility is a game-changer for soccer in eastern Idaho,” PVSC President Cristie Stone says in a news release. “It’s a testament to the vision and commitment of our club, our partners, and the community. We’re investing in our players and are determined to raise the bar for soccer in Idaho.”

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