GRAND RAPIDS, MI - For nearly 50 years, the Woodland Skating Center has hosted thousands of kids and teens who showed off, flirted and competed on roller skates.

Those days are nearing an end as Michigan Sports Academies, a company owned by Amway Corp. heir Cheri DeVos, takes over the aging facilities at 2100 28th Street SE.

The Woodland Skating Center will host its last weekend of skating on April 8 and April 9, the company announced.

Michigan Sports Academies plans to convert the 47-year-old skating facility into a practice and competition venue for youth basketball and volleyball programs, according to Gerrik Schepel, executive director for Michigan Sports Academies.



Michigan Sports Academies operates the Michigan Volleyball Academy (MVA) and the Michigan Basketball Academy (MBA), which focus on youth club basketball and youth club volleyball training and competition.

The future is less certain for two indoor soccer and lacrosse fields on the property, which covers more than 10 acres. The indoor fields also are used by hobbyists who fly radio controlled aircraft inside the cavernous steel buildings.

Although MSA is focused on youth basketball and volleyball programs, "we would like to keep the soccer fields in place," said Schepel, who said they are working with architects to redevelop the aging facility.

Gordon Dean, who has operated the soccer and lacrosse fields for the past decade, said he is closing and moving out by the middle of April.

Dean said he hopes the new owners keep the soccer venue open. The two buildings host about one-third of the region's indoor soccer leagues during the fall and winter months, he said.

"There's no other place to go," said Dean, who said he kept the indoor fields busy for up to 18 hours a day on weekends. Dean also managed the outdoor soccer fields and installed a beach volleyball fields on the property.

Dean has run the facility for the past ten years, taking over after a failed attempt to convert the indoor playing fields into an indoor flea market and banquet facility aimed at the Hispanic community.

Grand Rapids boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. also hosted events at the facility, including a gala and retirement party

The facility was originally built as West Michigan's largest skating center in 1969 by Roger and Alyce Roodvoets, whose family members recently sold the facility to CDV5 Properties, an investment firm owned by Cheri DeVos. The purchase price was not disclosed.

"We are thrilled that we found a buyer that will invest in the kind of youth programming and team sports that are important to today's youth and families," said Bryan Roodvoets in a news release.

"Michigan Sports Academies has a great reputation, and I am confident that this will have a positive impact on the retail and restaurant neighbors in this part of the city."

Nine-year-old Michigan Sports Academies is headquartered behind the Cascade Meijer store at 5449 28th Street SE.

Michigan Sports Academies also will operate and manage the MVP Fieldhouse, a neighboring facility that hosts lacrosse, soccer, volleyball and basketball at 5435 28th Street SE.

CDV, which owns Michigan Sports Academies, is not directly related to RDV, the investment firm owned by the family of Amway Corp. co-founder Rich DeVos, or MVP, the chain of sports complexes owned by the DeVos family, according to spokeswoman Ginny Seyferth.

Jim Harger covers business for MLive/Grand Rapids Press. Email him at jharger@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter or Facebook or Google+.