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CRE says BEAST facility eased scheduling pressure but city still lacks indoor practice center
Summary
City recreation officials said the newly acquired BEAST facility has expanded programming and reduced dependence on school gyms, but the department is at capacity for some activities and councilmembers raised the idea of pursuing a dedicated indoor practice/recreation center.
Jason Sanchez, director of Community Recreation and Events, told the City Council that acquiring and programming the BEAST facility has allowed the department to consolidate schedules, reduce last‑minute cancellations tied to school gym availability and expand youth and adult offerings.
"We were reliant on so many different schools to run our programs," Sanchez said, describing frequent schedule disruptions and the difficulty of notifying parents when space was suddenly unavailable. With the BEAST facility, he said, CRE has been able to host multiple activities at once and often fill the building: "it was not uncommon for us to have 200 to 300 people in that facility every night." Sanchez also described new teen nights that drew more than 50 participants and cited cooperation with Buffalo Ridge School to add a walkway and shared parking access.
Why this matters: Councilmembers said recreation infrastructure affects youth development, community health and economic recruitment. Several members urged exploring a permanent indoor practice facility to support year‑round training for athletes and reduce pressure on existing venues.
Program effects and capacity constraints - Scheduling stability: CRE officials said owning a large multipurpose facility reduced reliance on school gyms, where events could be canceled for school activities on short notice. Sanchez said consistent access has improved program quality and family experience. - Utilization: Sanchez described mornings with pickleball players, day‑time academies, and evenings with youth basketball and volleyball; during peak times the BEAST hosted several hundred participants and spectators. The department has sometimes asked the school district for additional gym access because bookings have reached capacity. - Community partnerships: Sanchez credited partnerships (for example Buffalo Ridge School) for enabling pedestrian access and additional parking to support BEAST programming.
Council response and possible next steps Councilmembers applauded the expanded programming and encouraged staff to pursue long‑term facilities planning. Councilmember Seagrave (commenting from the dais) said site selectors and business recruiters notice recreation amenities and urged continued work on a potential indoor practice facility, suggesting North Park as a possible location but leaving details for study. No formal study was authorized at the session; councilmembers characterized the idea as a topic for future planning and discussion.
No formal action was taken during the work session; councilmembers asked staff to continue evaluating program needs, facility scheduling and whether an indoor practice/recreation center is feasible and sustainable for Cheyenne.
