Swimmers won’t be able to dive in at Hampton’s new aquatic center this summer

Swimmers won’t be able to dive in at the Hampton VA Aquaplex this summer.

City officials had hoped the new aquatics center, which features an eight-lane 50-meter competition pool, a 25-meter program pool and an outdoor “Splash-Down Park,” would open in August, but the latest update on the center’s Facebook page says it won’t be open until fall.

The project, like many others around the region and the country, has been delayed because of supply chain issues.

“Like everywhere right now, supply chain issues held up a couple of critical pieces of the puzzle, but the team is chugging right along, and we are hopeful for an early fall opening,” according to the Facebook post.

Earlier this month, the city’s public works director Jason Mitchell told the Daily Press that the city had seen delays for all of its projects because “everything is back ordered.” At the time, the city wasn’t sure whether the delays would push back the opening of the aquatics center.

“This is a problem across-the-board worldwide,” Mitchell said, attributing the delay to many manufacturers shutting down for up to two years during the pandemic.

The city broke ground on the $29.5 million aquatics center last July at the intersection of Coliseum Drive and Pine Chapel Road.

City officials hope the aquaplex, which will be the largest of its kind in the state, will be an economic driver for the city.

The 64,000 square-foot center was designed to host Mid-Atlantic and national swimming and diving competitions, as well as artistic swimming and water polo events. It’s situated near the Hampton Roads Convention Center and several hotels.

The aquaplex will offer spectator seating for 1,500 along with on-deck seating for 760 swimmers. It has team rooms, a multi-purpose room and a concession stand. It will also serve as the home for the Hampton City Schools swim teams.

In addition to the indoor pools, the outdoor “Splash-Down Park” has a lazy river, pool and slides.

Winter swim lesson sign-ups are expected to be released on the center’s website and Facebook page within the next few weeks.

The center has not released a price list. A frequently asked questions page with more information is being compiled for release next week.

The aquaplex delay comes after the city postponed the opening of its Mary W. Jackson Neighborhood Center earlier this month due to supply chain issues. An official opening date for the Fox Hill Neighborhood Center has not been set, but that project has also faced similar construction delays.

Jessica Nolte, 757-912-1675, jnolte@dailypress.com