Holladay Hospitality Group hosted a Grand Opening Celebration and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Gillespie Field, their newly constructed 90”² x 120”² outdoor turf field, on Thursday, October 7, 2021. The ceremony featured an appearance by the Mayor of South Bend, James Mueller, Chamber of Commerce officials, and other local leaders.
Gillespie Field is located behind the Inn at Saint Mary’s (53993 State Rd 933, South Bend, IN 46637) and is free to use for guests at the Gillespie Event Center, The Inn at Saint Mary’s, the Hilton Garden Inn, and the Hampton Inn & Suites, Mishawaka. When not reserved for hotel guests, the field will be available to the public.
“As far as we know, we are the first hotel complex to build its own outdoor turf field exclusively for its guests in Indiana, maybe in the country,” said John T. Phair, Chairman of Holladay Hospitality Group. “We are host to many college and youth sports teams that will be able to practice here, do warmups, or just have fun. Many traveling families have already discovered this outdoor activity center.”
The field was created for both children and adults alike to have a fun, safe, fresh-air environment to run and play during their stay in the South Bend area. Guests are encouraged to bring their own sports equipment or borrow some from Gillespie Field. Equipment available for use includes soccer goals and balls; lacrosse goals, balls, and sticks; kickballs; whiffle ball sets; glow in the dark bases; and more.
“When you think about the South Bend/Mishawaka community and what stands out the most in terms of why guests travel to the area, sporting events are top of mind. Whether competing at the University of Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s College, or one of our many local colleges or youth sports fields, collegiate and youth sports teams have a huge impact on our community,” said Ken Herman, Vice President of Holladay Hospitality Group. “When we decided to build the Gillespie Field, we wanted something that would complement our incredible community and the sporting events we love to host so much. The Gillespie Field is a symbol of why people love visiting South Bend/Mishawaka time and time again.”
Holladay Properties and Holladay Construction Group teamed up to develop and build the field in hopes of attracting more youth, collegiate, and adult sports teams to the area. To reserve field time at Gillespie Field, please contact gillespiefield@innatsaintmarys.com or call +1-574-232-4000. You can also visit their website at thegillespiefield.com.