HOLYOKE — The probability of a sports complex and new home for the International Volleyball Hall of Fame coming to Holyoke is still up in the air.
Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia joined the latest episode of “So That Reminds Me” to discuss that project. The appearance comes two years after the city of Holyoke hosted a press conference to announce plans for a new sports complex and home for the International Volleyball Hall of Fame.
He said they hosted the press conference to make sure the state does not overlook Western Massachusetts and Holyoke if a sports complex plan comes to fruition.
“My intent at the time when we did the press conference the way we did was to send a strong message that Holyoke can’t be overlooked. I was very sure that a handful of cities were trying to build a sports complex in their community, which is great,” Garcia said. “Wherever it goes, it has a regional impact, and it’s wonderful, and we all benefit. But I feel strongly that it needs to be in Holyoke. We’re the birthplace of volleyball; we’re an often overlooked city. We’re like the little engine that could.”
According to prior Reminder Publishing coverage from 2024, Garcia and local entrepreneur Caesar Ruiz presented plans for a $100 million venture. The city argued that the complex would be a regional hub for sports development with 16 basketball and volleyball courts, an arcade, a bowling alley, rock climbing and over 30 events annually.
However, Garcia said on the podcast that the press conference was less about the plan and more about Holyoke’s interest in a sports facility.
“What we announced was the vision for a sports complex and the reason why we announced it the way that we did; it’s Western Massachusetts, and 8% of the commonwealth’s population lives out here, and you have cities and towns up and down the Pioneer Valley that we compete with Boston, and we just don’t have the capital and the investment and the resources that we’re seeing out in Boston,” Garcia explained.
Garcia added that even though there’s no definitive plan right now, the city does have an investor in Ruiz, who currently owns the Wyckoff Country Club.
“We have an investor willing to take the lead, which we could not have made that kind of announcement without somebody willing to explore it,” said Garcia, who added that he appreciates Ruiz and his family for his support of him and the city.
Ruiz acquired the Wyckoff Country Club in February 2025 and invested in renovations to the course and country club/restaurant. At the time, Ruiz said his goal was to put the complex on Whiting Farms Road, but no headway has been made there.
The Holyoke mayor said that whether or not the sports complex happens, the city at the very least now has a country club and golf course that has been invested in and renovated.
On the podcast episode, Garcia did not rule out a sports complex for Holyoke but said it would not be the end of the world if it does not happen. “Whether or not it does happen and again, there are ideas that are great, and you try them out,” Garcia stated. “Sometimes, it comes off the ground, sometimes it doesn’t, and when it doesn’t, sometimes other opportunities come out of it, and I’m grateful for that.”
Recently, state Rep. Pat Duffy filed an amendment to Bill S.3064, environmental legislation aimed at building climate resilience, environmental preservation and community infrastructure improvements. The amendment includes a bond authorization, not an earmark, for an additional $2 million for the city of Holyoke for site preparation for an expanded Volleyball Hall of Fame.
After this proposed amendment, many residents pondered a question: What specific property would these funds be used for, and why did the amendment increase the appropriation from the original $100,000 to $2.1 million?
Duffy explained to Reminder Publishing, “I filed it as a placeholder, as I want Holyoke to be in the mix in any discussion about a sports complex coming to this region.”
As a bond authorization, this goes into the queue for consideration for the governor’s annual capital outlay, but it won’t move up in that queue without local advocacy.
There’s an advocacy group with a Facebook page called Save Elmwood Forest Facebook, which has urged residents in Holyoke, parts of Chicopee, Agawam, Westfield, West Springfield, Montgomery, Russell, Easthampton and Southampton to write letters to Duffy and state Sen. John Velis to ensure that Elmwood Forest is not part of the “site preparation” for the sports complex.
According to the page, the group is concerned about the development of the woods between South Martin Street, Woodland Street and Whiting Farms Road.
The environmental bill is now before the Conference Committee. Once it leaves committee, Duffy’s amendment can no longer be changed. The Elmwood group’s Facebook post stated that this is residents’ last opportunity to ask Duffy and Velis to protect Elmwood Forest by clarifying that these funds may only be used on previously developed or disturbed land. The clarification would prevent the funding from being used to clear intact forest while still allowing environmental remediation where it is appropriate, the Save Elmwood group said.
The group also said in the post that they ask that the amendment require the Holyoke City Council to host a public hearing before any bond funds are accepted or spent so residents can review and comment on the intended use of these public dollars.
Garcia mentioned on the podcast that if any official plan came to fruition, there would be neighborhood discussion and conversation for some of the parcels Ruiz acquired for potential sites, including on Whiting Farms Road.
“That’s a tricky area. There’s zoning restrictions up there that would have to be resolved if [Ruiz] is going to successfully do what he wants to do up there. You have a neighborhood that is very fond of the area.” Garcia said. “As you go through your public engagement process with the Planning Board to do that zone change, for example, you have members of the council and members of the Planning Board that are deeply connected with residents in the neighborhood and community that are going to feel strongly about development there.”
Ruiz did not respond to Reminder Publishing’s request for comment about the project. The last update was in February 2025, when he acquired the Wyckoff Country Club. At that time, he said the sports complex is still a work in progress and is still in the design and development stage.
“Hopefully soon, we’ll get an update from these folks that are working on the sports complex, and if there’s an update, great; if there isn’t, hey, we’ve got to move forward as a city,” Garcia said.
To hear the full episode with Garcia, visit thereminder.com/our-podcast or search “So That Reminds Me” on your favorite podcasting platform.
