Bruno Machado is looking forward to adding another piece to the puzzle that is slowly transforming Manteca into the undisputed Northern San Joaquin Valley venue for amateur sports and recreation.

The Manteca resident’s proposed 25,711-square-foot indoor sports facility on Commerce Court just south of Home Depot is designed to serve as the go-to place for youth, high school and adult sports enthusiasts.

It will feature three full-size indoor basketball courts convertible to five volleyball courts. The facility could also be eventually used for other endeavors such as wrestling and indoor soccer.

The indoor sports facility will develop leagues for different sports teams that will be able to play in a dedicated indoor facility designed for that purpose year round. The facility is expected to operate between 3 p.m. and midnight.

Machado noted there are no plans to compete with traditional health clubs by offering workout equipment of any type. There will be a lobby and concession area in addition to the space set aside for organized competition.

One of the goals is to offer an alternative for competitive youth teams that typically have to travel out of the area as well as try to line up school and city facilities that aren’t already committed to other sports teams.

Given Manteca is at the epicenter of close to 750,000 people between Modesto, Stockton, and Tracy that are within a 30-minute or so drive Machado believes robust competitive teams can be offered at all levels from youth through adults.

He noted in doing so it would help reduce the costs that parents incur constantly traveling throughout the state for competitive games in basketball and volleyball.

 The indoor sports facility would join the growing list of private and public sector endeavors in Manteca aimed at the amateur sports and recreation markets.

*The 500-room Great Wolf Resort and indoor water park will open mid-year.

*The Big League Dream sports complex with six Major League replica playing fields and an indoor soccer arena along with two restaurants. The firm operating the BLD complex for the city is looking at building three more fields and a third restaurant to create a West Coast version of the Cooperstown Dreams Park that is regarded as the ultimate experience for youth baseball field.

*The Spreckels Park BMX track is not only regarded as one of the best courses in Northern California but is also among a handful located near a heart of a city and not on its outskirts.

*An 18-hole municipal golf course that is not only flourishing while other courses are closing but it is seeing increased play while receiving praise from players for efforts that have turned it into an even better course.

*Woodward Park with its lighted fields has become one of the north state’s most popular locales for competitive youth soccer tournaments due to its quick draining soil to the winter, the number of adjoining fields, the ease of access, and its central location between the Bay Area, Sacramento, and Fresno.

*While not a sports venue per se, Bass Pro Shops draws more than 2 million outdoor enthusiasts from a 100-mile radius

Those facilities are in addition to standard city and school recreation and sports venues.

The city is also working at developing a 120-acre family entertainment zone book ended by Great Wolf and BLD. The vision is to snare recreational venues as well as dining designed to serve the local and regional market.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com