Russell Center revenue below projection after three months

SANDPOINT — During Wednesday’s city council meeting, Sandpoint staff told attendees that revenue at the James E. Russell Sports Center has not covered operating costs since the facility opened in December 2024. 

“It's been a challenge, for sure, operating this as a business,” Community Planning and Development Director Jason Welker said. “The total budgeted revenue for a year was around $240,000. We're on track to do about half of that right now.” 

Construction of the indoor tennis and pickleball facility was enabled by a $7.5 million donation from Ginny and Jim Russell — among the largest a city in Idaho has ever received for a recreation project. While the gift funded the Russell Center’s creation, city staff have said they are relying on revenue from user fees to sustain the facility going forward. 

To drive income amidst a lower-than-expected membership total, the city has begun leasing court time to local organizations for a variety of activities. Sandpoint Lacrosse has hosted indoor practices at the Russell Center throughout February, and Lake Pend Oreille and Valor Christian high schools have held PE classes in the facility during the school week. 

In April, Welker said, Trout Unlimited will put on an event where participants learn fly fishing techniques in the facility’s community room and practice casting on the tennis courts. 

Welker said he expects the city to save money in the coming months as spring arrives and the Russell Center’s ample heating bill goes down. At the same time, the facility may lose traffic and members as the weather improves and outdoor courts become usable. 

“We're just going to be open less at the sports center. We're going to start scaling back,” he said. “We just don't need to be open when the preferred area for play is outside on the on the free tennis courts and pickleball courts we have in town.” 

Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm asked city staff and officials to think of creative ways to utilize the Russell Center to ensure the facility can sustain itself going forward. 

“This year's budget for this facility borrowed heavily against some of our reserves for Parks and Rec, and we've kind of put ourselves out there to fund it this year,” Grimm said. 

“My perspective? Citizens care about their toilets flushing, their water turning on, the police coming, the fire coming, the roads being paved,” he added. “Planning, arts, culture, sports and rec are secondary priorities. We don't even have enough money to do the first five at the level we want.” 

“This great gift that's been presented to our community, we can't allow it to become a further drain on our insufficient resources,” Grimm said.