Near Atlanta airport, crowdfunding initiative aims to pull off sports complex

If one Atlanta developer has his way, South Fulton residents won’t have to travel far to find a versatile indoor sports facility.

Leigh Gayden, CEO of Gayden Companies, is launching a crowdfunding campaign in January to raise $600,000 to further fund the South Fulton Sports Center, a proposed 28,000-square-foot indoor sports facility.

Located on a 12-acre site about two miles from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the facility would include four hardwood basketball/volleyball courts, a concession area, a sports performance area, and 2,000 square feet of office space.

With plans to begin operations in 2020, programs and services at the center would offer camps, concessions, court rentals, leagues, training, tournaments, and club teams, all focused on the 12 to 24 age demographic.

The predevelopment of the center began in 2015 when the South Fulton Sports Center acquired a 3.9-acre lot on Gwendoline Drive. Rezoning and further acquisitions through March last year led to the creation of the current 12-acre site.

South Fulton Sports Center

To bring the project to fruition, Gayden has personally contributed $2.12 million in property and capital to the project, he says. Non-credited and accredited investors ages 18 and older can contribute to the crowdfund using the Invest Georgia Exemption.

The minimum investment for non-credited investors is $1,000 and $10,000 for accredited investors.

The project entails a five-year investment period, with a 10-percent annual return, says Gayden.

South Fulton Sports Center