18 Sep Pittsburg’s Dream Courts Get Closer to Becoming Reality

A new sports complex and a hotel appear to be headed for Pittsburg, which could both boost tourism and economic development in the city. (Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)

By Samantha Kennedy

Contra Costa County’s largest indoor basketball center just got an operator for at least 10 years, moving one city closer to tapping into an over $100 billion sports tourism industry.

Pittsburg’s Dream Courts  — a 45,000-square-foot complex made up of five basketball and multipurpose courts — will be under the operation of the Ultimate Basketball Fieldhouse, LLC once construction finishes. In addition to regular operation and maintenance, the operator will host community clinics, Jr. NBA practices and games and corporate events on the courts.

The Pittsburg City Council unanimously approved the agreement with the Ultimate Basketball Fieldhouse at its Monday meeting.

The approval is the final piece in creating a successful youth sports facility, according to Mayor Juan Antonio Banales.

The Dream Courts first broke ground at the end of 2023 after council members approved an additional $5.75 million to fund the facility that summer. Construction is expected to finish in the winter of 2025.

Ultimate Basketball Fieldhouse has maintained another sports complex in Walnut Creek since 2015, hosting basketball clinics and tournaments. Under its operation, the Walnut Creek facility was named to the Jr. NBA’s Flagship Network, one of only 18 nationally recognized youth basketball organizations that are “committed to pursuing the highest standard of operation in the industry.”

Mike Samuels of Ultimate Basketball Fieldhouse said they’ve considered other locations for sports facilities outside of Walnut Creek but Pittsburg was the “perfect fit.”

“We just think that Pittsburg is ready for a facility like this,” Samuels said.

Vice Mayor Jelani Killings and council member Shanelle Scales-Preston agreed with Samuels, saying that many East County youth, especially in Pittsburg, are involved in sports and already travel to Ultimate Basketball’s Walnut Creek facility.

City officials’ vision for the Dream Courts has been to offer youth opportunities and increase economic development through the expected increase in traffic from traveling athletes to participate in tournaments.

Travel-related spending totaled $1.9 billion in Contra Costa last year, according to data from Visit California’s 2023 Economic Impact Report, and had steadily increased for years before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

“I can’t wait until the building is up,” said council member Shanelle Scales-Preston. “I’ll be the first one with a ball in my hand to shoot the first shot.”

Approval of Hotel Funding Furthers Economic Development

The funding approval for a 115-room hotel, according to Banales, was “another piece of the puzzle” in boosting the city’s economic development.

Council members unanimously voted to approve a city-funded loan of up to $1.5 million and a grant of up to $599,999 to construct the hotel. Grant funding will come from the American Rescue Plan Act.

The proposed hotel, a Home2 Suites by Hilton, would be located at 2112 Loveridge Road and is expected to generate around $500,000 annually from the transient occupancy tax. Revenue would go into the city’s general fund.

One of the largest revenue streams among travel-related spending in the county last year was accommodations, according to that same 2023 Economic Impact Report, bringing in over $200 million in revenue.

The next Pittsburg City Council meeting is Oct. 7.