Mayor McDermott Announces Management Team for Sportsplex

rot5Mayor Thomas M. McDermott, Jr. announces that James Taillon, II has been named General Manager for the Hammond Sportsplex and Kymberli Roberts, Assistant General Manager Basketball/Volleyball. “We are very fortunate to have these two talented and experienced individuals to lead the Sportsplex into becoming the premiere athletic facility in Northwest Indiana.”

Mr. Taillon is a Hammond native and graduate of Morton High School and Vincennes University where he played baseball for two years. Jim was the Vice President of Marketing for Arkansas Sports Entertainment with the Arkansas Riverblades Hockey team and Arkansas Twisters Arena II Football Team. In 2003 – 2007, he was employed by Red Bull North America as the Marketing Manager for the State of Arkansas where he sponsored, marketed and created events throughout the State. He managed multiple staffs in both positions. Most recently he is Co-Owner/President/CEO of Tailco Beverages. “I look forward to supporting athletes in the region and hope to provide a state-of-the- art facility for them to train and compete.”

Ms. Roberts is a life-long resident of Hammond and a graduate of Morton High School. She continued her education at Indiana University Northwest where she graduated in 2013 with a B.S. in Criminal Justice and in 2016, she graduated from Valparaiso University with a Master of Science in Sports Administration. She is currently a Correctional Officer with the Hammond Police Department. Since 2012, Kym has coached various high school volleyball and basketball teams. She is currently the varsity volleyball coach and assistant varsity coach for girls’ basketball at Griffith High School. While in college, Kym competed on the IUN basketball team. “I look forward to using my knowledge and experience as both a player and a coach as we develop the Sportsplex into a first class facility.”

The new 135,000-sft Sportsplex will offer six basketball courts, 12 volleyball courts, two regulation-sized indoor soccer fields, six indoor batting cages and an upper level track that could be used for walking as well as for observation of sporting events taking place on the lower level. The facility also will offer a community room to host city events, a concession area, general offices, and restrooms/changing rooms. The complex is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by September.