ERMA — If all goes according to plan, partners Bob Buglak and Jamie Sutton will be breaking ground at the beginning of 2027 on the 100,000-square-foot Aviation Sports Complex.
“We’re kind of shooting for Jan. 1 to put a shovel in the ground and start building,” Buglak said.
The owners of Aviation Sports Complex LLC have been working on a $7 million project to bring a massive bubble dome indoor athletic complex to life at the Cape May County Airport. The project was initially announced in early 2024 but had been in the works longer, according to Buglak.
“It’s been a long time coming, so we are definitely going to throw some champagne glasses up,” he said, noting that if there is another winter like last year’s it could be delayed further.
When they do, they likely will be joined by representatives from Lower Township, Cape May County, the state and the Delaware River and Bay Authority, all of which have had a hand in the project coming to fruition.
The DRBA, which manages the airport for the county, has approved the project and the Cape May County Board of County Commissioners has approved the lease.
They received final approval from the Lower Township Planning Board in July.
“That was kind of our last hurdle,” Buglak said Oct. 14. “We’re finally at our hurdles’ end and hoping to put it to bed shortly.”
He said there still were some issues with “stormwater management stuff” from the county but that he expected to hear back that week.
“As soon as that’s good to go, we have to submit to the DCA,” he said, adding that should take about another 30 days.
The air-supported dome would have 100,000 square feet of playing space attached to a 15,000-square-foot welcome center with other facilities. It would be situated close to the water tower near Breakwater Road.
Sutton previously said the playing surface would be about 40 percent artificial turf for sports such as soccer, field hockey, football and lacrosse, and the other 60 percent hardcourt surface for sports such as basketball, volleyball and pickleball.
They are considering a mezzanine seat area for parents, coaches and recruiters so they can have a better vantage point from which to watch players and plan “some really high-end technology” with video camera systems to stream games that would be available on an app for parents and as a recruiting tool for players hoping to play sports in college.
The welcome center would have food services, a small retail area, some offices, restrooms, an entry/foyer area for teams and coaches to check in for tournaments and things like that.
He believes the dome could be up by July and the welcome center could take six additional months.
“When they say six to 12 months, I go with 12 months,” he said of the four-year process.
Buglak said they have made progress with the county on a partnership in which the county would facilitate coaches, referees and insurance for groups looking to use the facility.
In addition to sports, he said the dome would be available as an event space.
“We want to use it for all kinds of different things,” he said. “If you can draw it up and it just needs space, we want to help.”
– By CRAIG D. SCHENCK and DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
