Kroc Center to open Jan. 2013 | Real Estate

The Memphis Salvation Army Kroc Community Center in Midtown has a new tentative date for its grand opening after a 14 month delay - the group is excited for Memphis to see the state-of -the-art facility that has been years in the making.

After a delay due to engineering complications,  the $25 million complex will open late Jan. 2013. It will introduce four major areas including a multi-sport facility, an aquatics center, a theater and a challenge obstacle course.  

“The delays were not due to financial issues and did not impact the local salvation army or local money that was contributed,” said major commander for Salvation Army in Memphis, Mark Woodcock.

“The delay was actually positive as we had more time to tweak our program and continue program development.”

The Kroc center has collaborated with Memphis corporations on their multipurpose areas - one is a challenge course. With the help of AutoZone, community center members will be engaged in an environment that is physically and intellectually stimulating.

“It’s very imaginative, you will have a team and put them in a virtual video game world and have them work out the challenge,” said Woodcock.

He said they will be working with Memphis city schools to have the missions correlate with what the students are working on in the classroom. The challenges will engage students, and adults, in mathematical and geological problems that they will have to work through with teamwork.

“It’s an interactive education, the kids will have fun as a team and their a mentor will be with them. Also, there will always be a variety of missions to keep it fresh,” said Woodcock.

FedEx donated the multi-sport gymnasium that also converts into a theatre for music performances. The gym also has an indoor soccer field and basketball court - it will have a futuristic theme.

The aquatics center will include, a water slide, lap lanes, and a lazy river - the main focus of this area is to teach kids how to swim. The Kroc Center’s theater will be used to present movies and serve as a place of worship.

Public relations manager for the Salvation Army Memphis - Ellen Westbrook - said all 30 Kroc Centers in the United States remain a place for recreation, education, worship and arts as the visionary donor requested. In 2004, Joan Kroc donated $1.5 billion of matching funds for the construction of all centers.

“It is something Memphis can proud of having a part in,” Westbrook said.

The Kroc Center hopes to start taking membership subscriptions at the end of this year and have a soft opening early Jan.  2013.