Ground broken on Spokane Valley Cross Course Wednesday...
This new course is located just east of Spokane in Spokane Valley, and covers 62 acres along the Spokane River.
The city of Spokane Valley, along with Spokane Sports and the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission are the parties involved in developing this facility, which will host meets ranging from youth to potentially USATF and international caliber meets.
The cities of Spokane and Spokane Valley have hosted national caliber meets before, including the 1974 and 1977 NCAA championships, the NCAA Division II championships in 2011 and 2013, the 2010 USA Cross Country Championships, and the 2018 USATF club cross country championships.
The new Spokane Valley course was awarded the 2027 NCAA Division I West regional championships, and is scheduled to host the 2025 West Coast Conference championships. Both meets will be hosted by Gonzaga University.
"This is a big deal for us and for Spokane," Gonzaga Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Pat Tyson (photo courtesy Spokane Sports) said. "The new cross country complex currently under development will be a wonderful venue for all competitors. We are very excited to welcome some of the best teams and athletes from up and down the West Coast in 2027."
"This is a great opportunity to bring the best NCAA cross country athletes on the West Coast to Spokane to race on what will be one of the best cross country specific courses in the country when it opens," Gonzaga Women's Cross Country and Track & Field Head Coach Jake Stewart said. "We're committed to sustaining the momentum that our program here at Gonzaga has right now, and this will be a big part of that. I have no doubt that it'll be a great event."
In the first phase of construction, the course will be laid out with varying lengths, restrooms and parking area. The first phase is expected to be completed next fall in time for a soft opening.
Phase II construction will include additional amenities such as a clubhouse (artist rendering courtesy City of Spokane Valley), additional restrooms, more parking, a food truck court for concessions, crow’s nest for event announcements and other unique amenities.
This will be the first exclusive cross country course in the Western United States, with the inspiration for the venue taken from the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course next to the University of Wisconsin Golf Course outside Madison in Verona; and the LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Indiana.
The Thomas Zimmer course will host this year's NCAA championships, while the LaVern Gibson course has hosted numerous NCAA championship meets since the turn of the century.
NOTE: Spokane Sports, the City of Spokane Valley, and the sports information office of Gonzaga University contributed to this report.
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