Kirkwood Becomes $10M Sports Hub

Soccer families in New Castle will no longer refer to their complex by its familiar name. BPG Sports unveiled the new identity of the 65-acre facility at 1220 River Road on Thursday, Oct. 29, rebranding the former Kirkwood Sports Complex as Sprinturf Performance Park. The change accompanies a $10 million upgrade that adds lighting and synthetic turf to the grounds.

The renovation includes converting four natural-grass fields to artificial surface and installing lights. The complex now features five lighted synthetic-turf fields and seven natural-grass fields. It also includes renovations to the indoor turf arena. These improvements allow the site to host soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey teams in conditions that previously limited play.

The state of Delaware contributed $4 million to the project from its Sports Tourism Investment Fund. State budgets have allocated $10 million annually to this fund in recent years. The money supports capital projects designed to attract sporting events and visitors. Gov. Matt Meyer stated that public funding alone cannot cover such infrastructure and that private partners are necessary.

Tourism officials presented data showing that out-of-state visitors attending sporting events generated $231.4 million in spending at venues, hotels, and restaurants. The goal is to draw traveling athletes and their families to the region. BPG Sports, based in Wilmington, manages the facility as part of a statewide network that includes Chase Fieldhouse and WSFS Bank Sportsplex.

Sprinturf signed a multiyear deal to become the naming-rights partner and official turf provider for the BPG portfolio. Stephen Cavalier, general manager of BPG Sports, said the partnership ensures consistent standards across facilities. He noted that the competitive nature of youth sports has driven demand for reliable, weather-resistant fields that can host large-scale tournaments.

Cavalier confirmed that the existing Kirkwood recreational soccer program will remain at the complex. He also noted that two fields were removed to create expanded parking. BPG Sports introduced paid parking through ParkMobile for tournament events. The company reported that the facility attracts 1.5 million visitors annually and hosts 15 large-scale tournaments each year.

Jessica Welch, Delaware Tourism Director, said officials are now focusing on indoor facilities to attract visitors during winter months. She emphasized the need to capture spending in January, February, and March. The Kirkwood project serves as the first major step in this broader sports-tourism strategy.