Logan Square families now have a year‑round sports hub after Players Sports Center opened at 2367 W. Logan Blvd. The facility occupies the former Windy City Fieldhouse, a beloved community space that served residents for more than 25 years before closing in 2023.
From Art Gallery to Athletic Center
After a two‑year stint as The Exhibition Hub Art Center, the building was transformed back into a sports complex. New indoor courts host soccer, basketball, pickleball and six sand courts for beach volleyball – a first for the neighborhood.
“The opportunity came about for us to reimagine the space and bring it back to a sports facility, and it coincided well with the timing for our league business and needing more inventory for space, so here we are,” said Dave Reid, CEO of Players Sport and Social, the organization behind the center. He added that the beach‑volleyball component is unique to Chicago.
Partnerships and Community Focus
Reid partnered with Clear Skies Hospitality, the parent of Chicago’s largest pickleball club SPF, to fund the renovation. The effort included repainting, new flooring, upgraded lighting and a mural of a beach volleyball player by local artist Brendan Cooney. Forty dump‑truck loads of sand were hauled from Ottawa, Illinois, to create the indoor sand courts.
The center features two Illinois High School Association‑size basketball courts, six indoor volleyball courts, two pickleball courts, an indoor turf soccer field and the six sand volleyball courts. A dedicated youth basketball partnership with LVL Basketball and a roster of youth partners will run clinics, camps and leagues under the roof.
Family‑Friendly Amenities
Beyond athletics, Players Sports Center houses a small café, Players Beach Bar, serving stadium nachos, house‑made hummus and a selection of beer, seltzers and non‑alcoholic drinks. The menu is overseen by the chef team from Honey Butter Fried Chicken in Avondale and the Honey Butter Beach Club at SPF’s Lincoln Park location.
“Working with the crew at Clear Skies and SPF, their expertise with the food and beverage concept, and some of the building process — I am kind of just a sports guy — so contractors and things like that were a little foreign to me, so the relationship was so beneficial for everybody,” Reid said.
Programming and Hours
The revamped facility aims to revive adult leagues, open‑play sessions, exhibition matches and provide a reliable venue for nearby schools. Leagues have already begun, with more programming slated for next month.
Players Sports Center is open 6 a.m. – 11 p.m. Thursday through Sunday and 9 a.m. – 11 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, offering flexible options for busy families and working adults.
Supporting a Strong Neighborhood
By restoring a dedicated indoor sports venue, the center reinforces Logan Square’s tradition of active, family‑centered recreation. It creates new opportunities for youth development, encourages healthy lifestyles and strengthens community bonds—values that align with the pillars of faith, family and liberty cherished by local residents.
Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.
