How One P3 Collaboration Created a Premier Facility for Community and Competitive Sports

Synchronized diving competitors compete at Peak Health Aquatic Center at Mylan ParkIn August 2024, as the world was still buzzing with excitement from the Summer Olympics, the 2024 USA Diving Junior Nationals Championship took center stage at the CENTERS-managed Peak Health Aquatic Center at Mylan Park in Morgantown, West Virginia. This event was more than just an athletic competition—it was a resounding testament to the power of strategic planning, operational excellence, and community collaboration. The championship highlighted the success of the public-private partnership (P3) between West Virginia University, the Mylan Park Foundation, Visit Mountaineer Country Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and the Monongalia County Commission and showcases how a carefully crafted vision, brought to life by Brailsford & Dunlavey (B&D) and CENTERS, can create a facility that meets both community needs and high-performance sports demands.  

The Diving Event: A Showcase of Talent and Community Engagement 

 The 2024 USA Diving Junior Nationals Championship brought together over 600 of the nation’s top junior divers, all competing for national titles in a world-class facility. The Peak Health Aquatic Center at Mylan Park, with its 50-meter competition pool and diving tower, was the perfect venue for these young athletes, many of whom are likely to compete in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The facility also features a 25-yard recreational pool and various amenities that cater to both competitive athletes and local families, making it a place where high-performance meets community engagement. 

For the residents of Morgantown, the event was more than just a competition; it was an opportunity to showcase their town on a national stage. “We encourage the entire community to come out and support these elite-level junior divers,” said Jennifer Lainhart, CENTERS’ Director of Peak Health Aquatic Center at Mylan Park.  

The event also served as a significant economic driver for the region. The influx of athletes, coaches, families, and spectators brought a surge of business to local hotels, restaurants, and shops. The Visit Mountaineer Country CVB played a crucial role in promoting the event, ensuring that the community reaped the benefits of this national competition. 

Michael Retcher, USA Diving Events Director, was effusive in his praise for the venue and its management. “Mylan Park does a great job with all of those things,” Retcher said, referring to the facility’s infrastructure and the local support that made the event possible. “The hospitality here has been great. This facility is truly world-class for the divers especially, and everybody looks forward to coming here because of both of those things.” Retcher also emphasized the scale of the event and the importance of community support, saying, “We have 619 athletes that are in one area. It needs a lot of space. We need the support of the community with hotels and restaurants, the support of staffing to really put on an event like this.” 

The Partnership: Joint Efforts Elevate Mylan Park to National Sports Destination 

The successful hosting of the USA Diving Junior Nationals Championship was no accident; it was the result of careful planning and strategic collaboration between West Virginia University, the Mylan Park Foundation, the Visit Mountaineer Country CVB and the Monongalia County Commission. This partnership was established with a clear mission: to create a state-of-the-art facility that would serve both the local community and high-performance athletes. B&D, a national higher education sports venue advisory firm, played a crucial role in planning the Peak Health Aquatic Center and Track Complex at Mylan Park. 

The vision for the Peak Health Aquatic Center and Track Complex at Mylan Park was dual-focused. The complex was envisioned as both a community-based asset targeted at recreational user groups and a high-performance facility that would meet the needs of athletes. The success of the USA Diving Junior Nationals Championship was a direct manifestation of this vision, demonstrating the facility’s ability to accommodate both elite competition and community engagement. 

CENTERS’ Role: Aligning Stakeholders Under One Mission 

Recognizing the complexity of managing a multifaceted facility, the Mylan Park Foundation selected CENTERS to operate the Peak Health Aquatic Center and Track Complex at Mylan Park. CENTERS, known for its expertise in campus center and venue management, brought a mission-driven approach that perfectly aligned with the needs of the Mylan Park Foundation. CENTERS’ role was to ensure that the facility could balance the needs of both the community and athletes—a goal central to the Foundation’s mission. 

The success of the USA Diving Junior Nationals Championship was a testament to CENTERS’ ability to manage multiple stakeholders and interests under one roof. From the logistical coordination required to host such a large-scale event to the daily operations that keep the facility running smoothly, CENTERS demonstrated its capacity to align various interests under a unified mission. 

Peak Health Partnership: A Model of Integrated Management  

The partnership with Peak Health further illustrates CENTERS’ ability to integrate and manage diverse stakeholders while staying true to the core mission of Mylan Park. Effective July 2024, the Aquatic Center was renamed the Peak Health Aquatic Center, marking the beginning of a strategic collaboration aimed at enhancing health and wellness opportunities throughout West Virginia. Peak Health’s support enhances the well-being of the local community, empowering the team to maintain and improve the world-class facility. This valuable contribution provides the resources necessary to continue attracting prestigious national events, solidifying the facility’s reputation as a leading destination for excellence in sports and wellness.

Under this partnership, all members and beneficiaries of Peak Health’s health insurance plans now enjoy free access to the Aquatic Center and other Mylan Park recreation and fitness facilities through the Mylan Park MyPARK Pass program. In addition to the Aquatic Center, the Track Complex has been renamed the Peak Health Track and Field Complex, while the splash pad and waterslides have been named after WVU Medicine Children’s. This initiative aligns with the mission of promoting community health and exemplifies CENTERS’ expertise in managing multiple stakeholders and maximizing the benefits of public-private partnerships.

Economic Impact and Long-Term Growth

Beyond the immediate economic impact of hosting the USA Diving Junior Nationals Championship, the Peak Health Aquatic Center at Mylan Park is crucial to the long-term growth of Morgantown. The Mylan Park Foundation, which oversees the park, has always prioritized supporting the area’s economic development. Offering high-quality recreational facilities, including those at the Peak Health Aquatic Center and Track Complex at Mylan Park, plays a key role in attracting skilled workers and new families to the region and enhancing the health and wellbeing of the surrounding community.  Annual facility usage includes nearly 50,000 community patron visits and community memberships generate more than $500,00 in annual revenue that is invested back into the facility. In addition, the athletes, coaches, and spectators who travel to the area for regional and national events generate a significant economic impact for the communityFor example, the USA Diving Junior Nationals Championship generated more than a $3 million in tourism economic impact on the Greater Morgantown area.

This commitment is achieved through innovative, entrepreneurial, fiscally responsible, and sustainable practices, all while continuing to expand inclusive recreational facilities and programs in the community. The Peak Health Aquatic Center and Track Complex programs, facilities, and services are recognized not only for their quality but also for the significant positive economic benefits they bring to the communities they serve.

The success of the USA Diving Junior Nationals Championship is a perfect illustration of how public-private partnerships, particularly with institutions like West Virginia University and corporate sponsors like Peak Health, can benefit a community.

Conclusion: A Mission Fulfilled

The 2024 USA Diving Junior Nationals Championship at Mylan Park was not just an athletic event; it was a celebration of the power of public-private partnerships in bringing a carefully crafted vision to life. The collaboration between West Virginia University, the Mylan Park Foundation, Visit Mountaineer Country CVB, Monongalia County Commission, B&D, and CENTERS has resulted in a facility that fulfills its dual purpose of serving the community while supporting high-performance sports.

By managing the interests of multiple stakeholders and aligning them under one guiding mission, CENTERS has ensured that the Peak Health Aquatic Center and Track Complex at Mylan Park are more than just facilities—they are dynamic, community-centered assets that will continue to drive positive economic and social impact in the region for years to come.

Watch WBOY coverage of USA Dive Junior Nationals