135-acre aquatic sports complex coming to Wilmington

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A 135-acre sports complex could be coming to northern New Hanover County. 

Two local nonprofits, Wilmington Aquatic Center and Access of Wilmington are hoping to develop a large plot of land off Murraysville Rd. into a swimming recreation complex.  

The complex would include an inclusive recreation center, two Olympic sized swimming pools along with several smaller pools, and a recreation village with a hotel, shopping and restaurants.  

Celia Wolff with WAC says the state-of-the-art aquatic center will help fulfill a need in the community for swimming pool access, including for local high school swim teams and senior centers. 

“We’ll have space for lifeguard training, first responder training, If it has anything to do with aquatics and the water, we’ll be able to host it at the Wilmington Aquatic Center. In addition to sports tourism. We can look to have teams here to train and pay to use the facility,” Wolff explained. 

Wolff adds if all goes to plan, the first phase of the project—which includes the aquatic center and recreation complex—will be completed in 2028, coinciding with the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.