New Marana Aquatic & Recreation Center 

Vibrant, $64 Million Project Celebrates Grand Opening

By Tom Leyde

In Marana, it’s simply known as MARC.

The Marana Aquatic & Recreation Center opened with a May 3 ribbon-cutting ceremony. The $64 million project was completed in 20 months, on time and on budget. It’s the latest town project, with more to come, including more retail stores and a downtown built on more than 40 acres, town officials said at the ceremony.

MARC was funded by a temporary half-cent sales tax approved in 2021. The project, at 13455 N. Marana Main St. between Marana Health Center and Northwest Fire District, began in Fall 2023.

The half-cent sales tax paid for the 60,000-square-foot recreation center and a 48,000-square-foot aquatic center with the following amenities:

• One large community room and two multi-purpose rooms
• A weight room
• Two group fitness rooms
• An indoor walking track
• A 3-court gymnasium
• A teen room for ages 13 to 18 or senior year in high school. The room is equipped with computers and a wall of TV screens.
• A child watch room for ages 2-7, allowing parents to use the facilities while their children are being care for.
• A 25-yard competition/lap pool with 12 lanes and diving boards.
• A recreation pool consisting of a resistance channel, splash pad, zero-depth entry, cabanas, event lawn, and two 20-foot water slides.

More than 1,000 memberships had been completed before the grand opening, said Wayne Barnett, deputy director of Marana Parks and Recreation Department.

“A project like this doesn’t get accomplished without strong leadership and we have that here,” Barnett said. “We’re looking forward to this place becoming a vital part of this community.”

CHASSE Building Team constructed MARC from designs created by Architekton, Abacus served as project management. About 150 Town of Marana employees also contributed to the project.

The impetus for MARC came after the parks and recreation department conducted a survey of more than 5,000 residents, about 82% of whom identified a recreation center and aquatic center as major needs for the community, said Jim Conroy, director of Marana Parks & Recreation.

The Marana Town Council approved the parks and recreation master plan in 2021, which included MARC. 

MARC also is a job creator, Conroy noted. At the town’s old pool, there were 15 lifeguards. The new pools will have 60 lifeguards in addition to staff for the recreation center.

“This (project) is about a kid walking out of this facility feeling good about himself or herself,” Conroy said.

Peter Nimmer, Abacus senior project manager, said the firm worked with the town council for more than three years on the project, including in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Costs were increasing and supplies were difficult to acquire, he said.

Because the project was built on a flood plain, the building had to be raised by two feet. That was just one of many challenges, Nimmer said, but all were successfully rectified.

“It’s been fun,” Nimmer said. “We’ve had a great time.”

Architekton Project Manager Michael Rosso said, “This is a recreation center tailored by residents of Marana for the community of Marana. This has been a project we have loved.”

Town Mayor Jon Post told the crowd at the ceremony: “Expect projects like this consistently from your council. This building is amazing. I know when you see it, you’re going to love it.”

Day passes, monthly, six-month and annual memberships for MARC are available, as well as options for non-residents and families.

Pictured above – Photo by J.D. Fitzgerald