LakePoint focused on enhancing experience

Despite work to open up a North campus at the already massive LakePoint Sporting Community in Emerson, Mark O’Brien — the new president of the facility — is focused on improving the existing facilities rather than expansion.

That road to the North campus, which is being opened with a cut-through road from Ga. 293 to Red Top Mountain Road — literally paves the way for development and is nearing completion. However, O’Brien and his new leadership team are focused on improving the facilities and the visitor experience on the South campus which includes eight baseball fields, lacrosse and soccer fields, a wake park and the indoor arena.

“We want to focus on creating life-long memories for athletes, families and the community, one experience, one guest, one game at a time,” O’Brien said. “That focus provides us the opportunity to make sure we’re executing on what is most important to our guests and everyone involved.”

Right now, a lot of attention is focused on a new video technology that is being installed at the baseball complex followed by the indoor arena.

Each of the baseball fields is being fitted with seven cameras which will allow live streaming of games as well as the capability to record and analyze every batter’s swing to the way each pitcher releases his curve ball.

Coaches will be able to examine how players get a lead when they’re on base to how well they round the bases without losing speed.

As for indoor sports — each basketball, volleyball court, wrestling mat or cheer leading stage will have a series of cameras that will provide the same function. They’ll live stream video so coaches, scouts and players will have the opportunity to analyze every move they make on court.

“Right now we’re in a test and learn phase and as we continue to optimize the technology and make sure that the experience on campus and off is the best it can be,” O’Brien said.

The master plan for the North campus includes additional athletic fields as well as retail and other facilities that could include everything from movie theaters to bowling alleys. His approach to development of the North campus will be dictated by fiscal responsibility, O’Brien said, and adhere to his philosophy of creating a familyfriendly environment that will make the venue a place visitors want to come back to time and time again.

Doug Walker The new entrance to the LakePoint Sporting Community off Red Top Mountain Road is nearing completion and will open up hundreds of acres for new development.

Doug Walker One of seven cameras on the baseball field at LakePoint is mounted on the fence at far right and is focused on the batters box to help analyze the swing of batters. A player from Chicago is at bat in action July 25 while the catcher played with a team out of Charlotte.

Doug Walker Josh Laney (left), senior vice president of engineering and facilities at LakePoint Sporting Community, and Mark O’Brien, president and CEO at LakePoint, check out the livestreaming of a baseball game at LakePoint. Seven cameras are being placed on all eight baseball fields to help coaches and scouts better analyze young athletes.