Waterloo Development Corporation (WDC), with support from the Black Hawk County Gaming Association (BHCGA), has broken ground on the new $37 million CourtWorks facility downtown along West Commercial Street. The 110,000 square-foot venue is designed to attract youth sporting events and will feature eight full-size hardwood basketball courts/16 volleyball courts with seating for over 1,000 spectators. CourtWorks will also be able to host wrestling, gymnastics, pickleball, and handball tournaments.
The project is located on land that historically operated as part of John Deere’s campus and had remained vacant for more than 20 years following demolition of several industrial buildings. The City acquired the 5.3-acre property following completion of a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) under a United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Assessment Grant. Subsequent subsurface sampling activities helped to guide site design decisions. The facility is expected to open in early 2027.
