By Nicole Matheson

The anticipation of what would move into the previous Hastings building on Lake Havasu Avenue is finally over.

Get ready for the Magnum Sport Center, bringing the future of indoor sports to Lake Havasu City.

Gary Steven, the owner and developer of Magnum Sport Center, and his wife Cathryn, are frequent summer residents and are looking to retire in Lake Havasu City. With a daughter and son-in-law being regular participants in the Havasu Balloon Festival, coincidentally happening next weekend, they have found themselves in and out of Havasu for 10 years. Like many, they’ve established ties here already by purchasing a camper at Crazy Horse and enjoying the lake on their boat and jet skis in the summer.

The Hasting’s Building will now be called the Magnum Sports Center. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

How It Started

The idea for a sports center was originally pursued in La Quinta, Calif., but 10 times the scale. However, after noticing the Hastings building, their wheels began to turn in a different direction. After some initial phone calls, measurements and research, Steven decided it could actually work here.

Much of the research involved Steven and his wife gathering information on the demographics of the area. And a lot of that research came in the form of face-to-face conversations with fellow business owners, patrons and residents which resulted in an overwhelming response, “We need it, we love it,” Steven said.

The coffee shop area of the former Hastings building will be turned into a pizza and bar area according to Gary Steven. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Just three’

hours after he signed the contract with the landlord to close on the building, Steven said, “The owners are great people. They had a chance to lease this out to a bigger company and have a longer lease which could have generated more money in the long run, but they like this project.”

What It Offers

The Magnum Sports Center will feature a large multi-purpose sports floor that will bring various options to Lake Havasu City throughout the seasons, such as soccer, hockey, lacrosse and more, all in a controlled environment, which will be welcome in the blistering heat of summer.

This option should bring interest to athletes and sports teams alike who are looking for a climate-controlled facility in which to practice during the harsher months of the year.

The back wall of the new Magnum Sports Center will be a rock climbing wall for all ages and skill levels according to the proposed plans. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

The flexibility of the Magnum Sport Center is a tremendous draw. “If the weather is too hot to do it outside, come on inside during the summer time or if it’s too cold, do it inside where it’s climate controlled,” Steven said.

Changing seasons will also bring an ice-skating rink indoors for six months, offering a unique activity for the desert. Activities such as ice hockey, figure skating and public skating will be a welcomed recreational option.

In addition, the other six months, the rink will provide options for roller skating, hockey and roller derby.

One corner of the building will be a chilling room for an ice rink in the winter months. The ice rink will be in the center of the building during the winter months and will be converted into a roller rink during the summer. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

This is a particularly exciting aspect of the project for Steven who spent some time as a professional hockey player. In conjunction with his professional experience in the sport, he spent time building rinks as well, explaining that it is difficult to maintain ice in the summer months.

“We think with every aspect here, we’ll be filled up 24/7, 365 days of the year,” Steven said. And if some components don’t work or people don’t like something, they plan to be receptive to change things.

Even More To Come

The facility will support a wide range of family friendly activities for all in its layout including, indoor batting cages, arcade, rock climbing wall, exercise facilities and circuit training stations. Around the perimeter of the multi-purpose field will be a jogging track for those that wish to get in a run or a walk while the family enjoys its stay.

This area of the building will be turned into a virtual reality gaming area according to Gary Steven. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Virtual reality golf is another exciting offering for a city that has an avid base for the sport. This virtual reality comes with 27 different sports such as baseball, soccer, hockey and dodgeball.  “Zombie Dodgeball is a lot of fun,” Steven said.

The Zumba room will open up opportunities beyond the fitness craze that has swept the nation. Possibilities are endless for its intended use including karate, even ballet, according to Steven.

The front of the building will be a multi-purpose room for karate , ballet and dance lessons. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

A Place For Families To Unwind

The Center will also meet the needs of many as they will be turning the existing coffee bar into a restaurant/bar which will include a view of a play area for smaller children next to it. The idea is to have a little pizza and some drinks while the kids play. “A family can go there and it won’t cost a lot of money to spend the whole evening.” Budgeting carefully is an important concept for Steven to keep the cost affordable for families.

The magazine rack area of the former Hastings building will be turned into a kids zone for younger children. The proposed plans have a bounce house incorporated into the kids zone. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

A search for additional investors is currently underway to finish the final details of the plan. Current plans call for Magnum Sport Center within three months, placing the date sometime by April. Plans are calling for every component to be fully operational when the center opens.

For more information on this project or regarding becoming an investor, please visit https://magnumsportcenter.com

The glass window area of the new Sports Center will be turned into a check-in for ice and roller skating. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

The coffee shop area of the former Hastings building will be turned into a pizza and bar area according to Gary Steven. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Magnum Sports Center owner Gary Steven points to an area of the building where virtual reality gaming will go. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

A portion of the back wall in the new Magnum Sports Center will be transformed into lockers and multipurpose rooms for birthday parties. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

The front entrance of the new Magnum Sports Center will become a check-in area. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

The proposed plans for the Magnum Sports Center in Lake Havasu City courtesy Gary Steven.