Broadmoor Middle Site Becomes $15M Baton Rouge Esports Hub
For years, the old Broadmoor Middle School on Sharp Road sat empty, and plenty of folks who drove by wondered what would ever happen to it. Now we have an answer: East Baton Rouge Parish Schools is turning the site into a $15 million sports and esports complex. Here's my quick rundown in video, with the full story below.
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What happened: from closed campus to game day
Broadmoor Middle School closed in 2019. According to The Advocate, enrollment had dropped to about 375 students in a building designed for up to 800. Since then, WBRZ reported that the empty building was plagued by vandalism and became an eyesore for neighbors.
Over the years, the district floated other ideas for the site, including moving a magnet school there and building an arts conservatory, but those plans didn't move forward. This past summer, WBRZ reported the old school was torn down to make room for the new sports center.
The latest update came from Baton Rouge Business Report: EBR Schools plans a $15 million "sports and esports complex" on the site. Construction is expected to take about a year, with the facility slated to open in May 2028.
What's going inside
An esports arena: a home base for the district's esports program, which officials say has more than 50 teams competing monthly in the city-parish.
STEM space: room for drone tournaments, robotics, video production and other STEM programs.
A multiplex gym for elementary students: basketball, volleyball, indoor soccer, sports camps and a practice track.
District leaders have said none of their elementary sites is big enough to host events like these, which is a big part of why this project matters to them.
The key numbers
Budget: $15 million, paid for through the tax plan voters approved in 2018
School closed: 2019
Construction time: about one year
Target opening: May 2028
Esports teams it will serve: 50+
Why it matters for Baton Rouge
Empty, vandalized buildings weigh on the streets around them. As a realtor, I pay close attention when a long-vacant property finally gets a plan, because it changes how a whole stretch of road looks and feels day to day. Swapping a boarded-up campus for a brand-new facility that kids and families will actually use is a real upgrade for that part of Sharp Road.
It's also a sign of where youth activities are heading. Esports, robotics and drone programs are growing fast, and having a dedicated space for them, right alongside traditional sports, gives students across the parish more ways to compete and learn.
And for taxpayers, it's a project tied to money voters already approved back in 2018, so it's worth keeping an eye on how that investment turns out.
What to watch next
Construction getting underway on the cleared Sharp Road site
More details on the building design, events and how families can use the space
The May 2028 opening date
I'll keep tracking this one and share updates as the project moves along.
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Every weekday I break down what's happening around Baton Rouge, Gonzales and the rest of the Capital Region, from schools and new businesses to big developments and road projects. Comment the word "Report" on the video above, or reach out to me directly, and I'll add you to my weekly newsletter that dives deeper into stories just like this one.
I'm Brian Mackey with Pivot Realty, here in the trenches gathering the news in the Baton Rouge area so you're always in the loop. If you have questions about buying or selling a home in Baton Rouge or Ascension Parish, I'm always happy to help.
