17 Jun 2020

Earlier this year, Blue Ocean affiliate Axxella LLC acquired the SPIRE Institute and Academy (SPIRE IA) in Geneva, Ohio. With more than 750,000 sq. ft. under roof and a campus of 177 acres, SPIRE is one of the largest indoor professional training and competition complexes in the world—integrating athletics and academics, skills and performance training and personal and career development in unprecedented ways. Blue Ocean has announced that the SPIRE IA expansion is continuing in Ohio, with its plan for Baltimore’s SPIRE East remaining on track. You can read the official press release here.

As the master developer of the northeastern Ohio property, Blue Ocean is focusing on expanding the sprawling campus to include a variety of new uses. Among them is a new student housing complex for SPIRE’s rapidly growing student athlete population. A new SPIRE Academic Center, currently under construction, is located in the south building of SPIRE, and will feature state-of-the-art classrooms, a science and innovation lab, an esports learning suite and a student lounge with project-based workstations and administrative offices. Further amenities planned for the expansive campus include a mixture of multi-family housing and hotel and hospitality facilities. Plans to develop a sports-oriented medical partnership onsite are also ongoing. Student athletes at SPIRE are currently treated and cared for through a long-standing relationship with the Cleveland Clinic, one of the largest and most respected hospitals in the country.

In addition to the above, Blue Ocean is in the final planning stages for a new on-site hotel. The hotel will host the many SPIRE event visitors, as well as the many student parents that visit SPIRE throughout the year. An announcement with more specifics on this project is expected later this month.

Within Blue Ocean’s master plan for the property, SPIRE continues to expand programming in exciting new ways. Its expert coaches, teachers and performance trainers are offering residential camp and academy training programs in basketball, track and field and swimming. Classes in esports include drone, robotic, Artificial Intelligence and other emerging technologies. Courses and classes are being held on campus as well as through remote distance learning via streaming technology featuring some of the field’s preeminent experts.

Blue Ocean recently announced plans to bring the SPIRE brand to its Aviation Station property near Middle River, MD at an undisclosed date in the future. Called SPIRE East, the Aviation Station location will feature three large turf fields, a warm-up area, eight volleyball/basketball courts, multiple Pickle Ball courts, concessions, a Pro Shop, sizable locker rooms, meeting space and a rock climbing area.

About SPIRE:
Constructed on 177 acres of expansive land, at 750,000 square feet, SPIRE is among the largest and best-equipped indoor sports facilities in North America. SPIRE serves as a national/international college preparatory academy for high school and postgraduate athletes. It provides physical, mental and nutritional performance training as well as sports-specific training/competition programming in swimming, track and field, basketball and e-sports. SPIRE’S experienced coaching staff conducts academy, camp, club and skill development programs in all of these sports; and it offers exceptional league play in soccer and volleyball. SPIRE also hosts countless sport competitions including those organized by the NCAA, the Big East, the Big Ten, and the Atlantic 10 conferences. SPIRE has also hosted Olympic trials and world championship qualifiers.