Springfield, VA — On Saturday, The St. James – a massive sports complex built in Norther Virginia – opened to the public. The 450,000 square-foot gym is a sports, wellness, and entertainment complex and basically the size of a medium-sized airport.

While the open-house was going on, a hockey game took place on one of the NHL regulation-sized ice rinks – an U-10 game between the St. James travel team and the Tri-City Eagles. Stanley Cup Champion, and founding member of the St. James, Alex Ovechkin dropped the first puck and spent some time skating with the youth and playing coach.

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Ovechkin joined the two youth teams on the ice during the pregame warmup. After passing pucks to each player, he participated in a few line drills but opted not to shoot on the tiny goalie, instead dishing to a tiny teammate. Once the goalie left the net, he took a few one timers from the Ovi Spot to show off.

The St. James broke ground a year ago, with Alex Ovechkin helping with the official shovel scooping.

The St. James members enjoy access to all the sport venues including a three-level health club. Pick-up sports, whether it be basketball, turf-sports, or hockey, will not require the athlete to become a member.

The building includes:

• Field House with a FIFA regulation-sized turf field — the only such field in the region — and 65-foot roof clearances for all turf sports
• Court House with four full-length regulation basketball courts that convert into nine volleyball courts
• Ice House with two NHL regulation-sized ice rinks for all ice sports and a hockey skills training center that features both RapidShot and RapidHands skills training systems as well as a skating treadmill
• Pool House with a 50-meter Olympic regulation-sized competition pool for all water sports
• Hitting House with six batting cages and pitching machines for baseball and softball that converts into a multipurpose training venue
• Squash and Golf Center with eight international regulation-sized squash singles courts and seven golf simulators, including six full swing studios and a putting studio
• Gymnastics Center with 10,000 square feet with a competition spring floor, deep foam training pits, Tumbl Trak, rod floors and in-ground trampolines
• Climbing and Bouldering Wall with three stories and 6,000 square foot of dynamic climbing experience

Aside from the sports training and competition assets, the St. James also includes a 50,000 square foot health club with spinning and yoga rooms as well as a sports medicine center which opens in the spring. You can also find an indoor waterpark, a restaurant and cafe in connection with celebrity chef Spike Mendelsohn, and retail space.

More photos of the facility

Photos: Cara Bahniuk