If you’ve ever been to a public pool at 5pm on a weekday, it may appear to be an extremely profitable business. But when factoring in the costs associated with operating a pool safely and effectively, it quickly becomes obvious why so few facilities are successful without taxpayer money!
Costs
The cost of building, operating, and maintaining a pool is significantly higher than other athletic facilities. For example, the cost to construct a natatorium is roughly double the cost to build a fieldhouse of the same size! In addition, liability costs are significantly higher, and far more staffing is required to operate an aquatics center as compared to a ballpark, stadium, or other equivalent facility.
Taxpayer-Funded Facilities
Given the costs associated with construction and operation, 85 – 95% of all public pools use taxpayer money to remain operational. While this can be a great option in some areas, these facilities are typically run by the Parks and Recreation Department as opposed to dedicated aquatics professionals. This tends to result in great access, but fewer opportunities for high-level instruction and training.
Non-Profit Facilities
Of the 5-15% of public pools that do not take taxpayer money, the vast majority are operated by non-profits like the YMCA, or by colleges and universities. While these can offer more targeted programming than a typical community pool, programs and staff are still regulated by the mission of the agency and may be limited on what they can offer. These facilities are often seen as an amenity, so planned and emergency maintenance closures can be lengthy.
Membership-Based Facilities
Membership-based facilities, like Pikes Peak Athletics Training Center, are extremely rare and make up about .5% of public pools in the US. While utilizing these facilities comes at a slightly higher cost than a local community center, programming and facility quality tend to be higher. Leadership decisions can be made without lengthy discussion, correcting issues more quickly and prioritizing the quality of programs. Membership-based facilities are often able to retain the best staff, while taxpayer-funded and non-profit facilities tend to promote the best aquatics people to other departments and prioritize tenure over skills when making hiring decisions.
Bottom Line
Most public pools only recover 30-60% of their operating costs, and simply wouldn’t survive without taxpayer funding, grants, and donations. It is extremely rare for a privately run facility to operate sustainably, and the vast majority fail withing 3-5 years of opening. Pikes Peak Athletics Training Center is truly special in every way, our unique model allows us to provide our patrons with the best facilities and programs in the industry!
Rory Grigull | Director of Facilities