A new youth sports complex in Castle Rock moved a step closer to reality this week after the Town Council approved agreements supporting construction of a 68,000-square-foot indoor sports facility.

The planned facility would be built on 22 acres in the Dawson Trails development. Initial designs include six indoor basketball courts and nine indoor volleyball courts. If additional funding is secured, a second phase could add outdoor turf fields and more indoor courts, officials said.

The project is a partnership among the Town of Castle Rock, Douglas County and the nonprofit Gold Crown Foundation, which has provided youth sports and enrichment programs across Colorado since 1986.

The town approved the transfer of 22 acres of publicly owned land to the Gold Crown Foundation on Tuesday and agreed to waive up to $1 million in development impact and land-use fees for the project.

Douglas County commissioners are also expected to consider a $7.5 million funding award at their next meeting.

The foundation estimates the total project budget at approximately $35 million for construction and development. Project leaders reported a current funding gap of $10.7 million, but said additional gifts, grants and budget reductions could reduce that gap to about $2.7 million.

Officials said they are continuing to raise money for the project and are pursuing multiple avenues of additional funding.

Construction is expected to begin once all funding is secured. Project officials are targeting a groundbreaking in April 2027, with the facility opening in April 2028.

At full capacity, the facility is expected to serve about 15,000 youth participants annually and attract between 500,000 and 600,000 visitors each year, according to project documents.

The project is the second major youth sports complex planned in Douglas County with a target opening in 2028. In March, Douglas County commissioners approved the $65 million Zebulon sports complex, a recreation center planned near Sterling Ranch.

During the March meeting, parents and youth coaches described the county’s limited court space and the costs families incur traveling long distances for practices and tournaments.