Sandpoint commission: community split over possible multisport conversion at JER sports center

Sandpoint — A majority of commissioners said they will convey mixed public feedback to the City Council after a June 2025 public meeting left residents nearly evenly divided on the future use of the James E. Russell (JER) sports center.

At the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting on June 11, staff summarized a meeting-attendance survey taken at a special JER meeting two weeks earlier. Jason Walker, Parks staff, told commissioners that 76 people who attended the special meeting answered the short survey: 37 supported keeping the facility focused on its current tennis/pickleball model (or exploring a public–private operating partnership with the USTA Pacific Northwest), and 36 favored converting at least one court to a multisport surface such as turf for indoor soccer, basketball, football training and other uses.

The split reflects larger questions about the center’s purpose and financial expectations. Walker said the facility’s current cost-recovery ratio is about 54 percent and that municipal recreation facilities nationwide typically recover 40–80 percent of operating costs. “Not very few businesses are profitable in their year in municipal recreation,” Walker said, adding that the city will ask council for direction based on the survey, updated financials and staff recommendations.

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