ELKHORN, Neb. (KMTV) — Elkhorn Training Camp is constructing a 35,000 square foot facility in Gretna Landing. The founders share how it'll help grow young athletes in our communities.
- The Elkhorn Training Camp (ETC) is a baseball/softball focused facility for athletes of all ages and skill levels.
- The new 35,000 sq. ft. indoor training center will have 11 batting cages, 10,000 sq. feet of open turf and a 5,000 sq. foot performance center for strength and conditioning.
- The new facility is expected to open in 2025.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
West Omaha is growing, and I've been able to highlight a lot of that growth specifically in Northwest Omaha. A big part of that has been focused on expanding opportunities for young athletes like these guys behind me which is why the Elkhorn Training Camp is bringing a new facility to our neighbors in Gretna.
The Elkhorn Training Camp (ETC) is a baseball/softball focused facility for athletes of all ages and skill levels.
Co-founder and owner, Mike Alessandro tells me there's a growing demand for indoor sports centers in the area and Gretna is growing community with young families.
"Yeah, as you look at, you know Omaha, as we know, Omaha embraces sports, right? Youth sports and the youth sports community continues to grow,” he said.
The new 35,000 sq. ft. indoor training center will have 11 batting cages, 10,000 sq. feet of open turf and a 5,000 sq. foot performance center for strength and conditioning.
Construction has already begun here near 192nd and 370 in the future Gretna Landing development.
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I'm back at the Elkhorn training camp with co-founder Mike Alessandro. I wanted to start off with kind of the back story of Elkhorn training camp and why you guys decided to come specifically here to Elkhorn.
“So, back in 2016, I had developed a relationship with a gentleman named Max Fearnow who was doing private lessons for my son,” said Alessandro.
Mike had a passion for baseball and so did the retired astros player Max, so they created the ETC in 2016 to bring practice closer to athletes who were previously driving anywhere from 20-30 minutes away.
You guys are expanding to Gretna. Now, tell me what the need you guys is have seen there.
"We, we saw an opportunity and we just decided to invest in the community,” said Alessandro.
"We looked at what we opened here in Elkhorn, and you know, if you look at Gretna, they're probably at least seven or eight years I would say behind, but they, they will get to where Elkhorn is now,” said Fearnow.
The training camp works closely with the Elkhorn Athletic Association soon they'll work with the Gretna Youth Softball and Baseball Association. Max tells me Gretna doesn't have as many teams as Elkhorn but their community is growing and they want to grow right along with it.
"So being there to serve them as their community gets bigger and bigger is it seemed like a really no, no brainer for us,” said Fearnow.
The new facility is expected to open in 2025.
