John Kinder, TheZone program director, is pictured. TheZone recently completed its capital campaign and is now moving into construction planning and exhibit design with a projected early 2026 opening inside the Northwest Arena.

TheZone, a new attraction at the Northwest Arena, could open as soon as early 2026.

Northwest Arena officials said TheZone has reached its capital campaign goal and is now entering the next phase of development, including finalizing construction plans, exhibit designs and additional community engagement.

“We believe that learning should be an adventure, and TheZone will be a place where children of all ages and abilities can explore, innovate, and challenge themselves in new and exciting ways,” said John Kinder, program director of TheZone. “Reaching our capital goal is a testament to the incredible support from our community, partners, and donors who share our vision for a world-class experience.”

Arena officials kicked off the $4 million fundraising campaign in August 2021 with an original scheduled opening date for the summer of 2022. After more than five years of planning and preparation, TheZone is now poised to move forward. It will be an interactive indoor sports and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) children’s play experience that will provide children hands-on exhibits that blend the excitement of sports with STEAM learning. It is expected to include interactive physics-based sports challenges and high-tech engineering stations and artistic explorations.

Jack Rouse Associates and Cortina Productions, who also worked on the National Comedy Center project, will create the exhibits at The Zone. Among the activities listed on The Zone’s website are an a sports tunnel where children can run out at the end and have their name announced as it would be in a professional game, an open play area which features hoops, balls, nets and a massive Jumbotron, the toddler area for children ages 2 to 5 to play with soft equipment in a safe enclosure; a digital scavenger hunt climbing apparatus that is ADA accessible with slides, lookouts and obstacles and locker room area to learn about nutrition facts and STEAM concepts, create a sports uniform, and adjust the lighting of the locker room. Children will also be given an RFID chip to record each experience they have at The Zone, so they know when they’ve hit a personal best score.

TheZone will be housed in the second floor of the arena’s expansion project near Second Street that was finished in 2021. Arena officials have said they will work with youth organizations in the area to provide children access once The Zone is opened.

For more updates and ways to get involved, visit The Zone – Northwest Arena or follow us on TheZone Social Media.