Morrisville is the new home to a sprawling, 30-acre sports facility called the Wake Competition Center. Not only are the Carolina Hurricanes a potential tenant, organizers are working to attract a national-profile event by 2020.

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For developer Jeff Ammons, the Wake Competition Center has been a labor of love.

“The facilities are really state of the art, world-class. and they’re all on one campus,” he said.

By the time the project is finished in the fall of 2019, it will include two ice rinks, an eight-court volleyball facility, two turf soccer fields, a gymnastics gym and an athletic lab.

“We’ve had an incredible amount of growth in the Morrisville area, and it’s mostly families with children,” said Mayor T.J. Cawley. “This facility is going to serve their needs to either watch or participate in sports.”

Ammons was the mind behind Raleigh Center Ice, the current practice facility for the Hurricanes. Now the team is in talks with the Wake Competition Center to make a move.

“Professional athletes are used to a lot of the nicer amenities,” said Brian Tatum, the team’s assistant general manager, “and all of the plans I’ve seen and worked with Jeff (Ammons) with this facility have every amenity we could ever need.”

The Canes plan to make an announcement next month.

And they are not the only professional team hoping to take advantage of the new sports hub. NCFC, North Carolina Football Club, will host youth soccer workshops at Wake Competition Center.

“It’s good for us as a pro team – the NC Courage – to be in touch and be hands-on with these kids and be able to actually help them in their youth sides,” said Abbey Crider, manager of corporate season tickets and group sales for the Courage.

The entire project will cost around $25 million.

Wake County has already invested a tourism grant worth $3 million to land a figure skating event that could attract national attention in 2020.

Hill Carrow, CEO of the Triangle Sports Commission, was coy, but said, “It’s in the sport of figure skating. It’s in conjunction potentially with their national championships. Literally the bid was submitted at the beginning of this month, and they’re on the fast track with it, and they’re going to make a decision by next month.”

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