The Hidden Costs of Poor Facility Design — and How Indoor Athletic Facilities Can Avoid Them

When indoor athletic facilities are planned, conversations often focus on square footage, court count, and upfront construction costs. While those elements matter, they only tell part of the story. Poor facility design can quietly create long-term expenses that far exceed any short-term savings made during planning or construction. For owners and managers, these hidden costs show up every day in the form of higher operating expenses, reduced member satisfaction, and lost revenue opportunities.

Understanding where these costs originate—and how to design around them—can make the difference between a facility that merely functions and one that performs at a high level for decades.

Energy Inefficiency That Never Goes Away

One of the most common hidden costs of poor facility design is excessive energy consumption. Indoor athletic facilities typically have high ceilings, large volumes of air to condition, and long operating hours. When lighting layouts, insulation strategies, and mechanical systems are not designed specifically for athletic use, energy bills escalate quickly.

Improper lighting placement can lead to over-lighting or uneven coverage, forcing operators to run fixtures at higher levels than necessary. Inadequate insulation or poorly designed wall and ceiling assemblies allow conditioned air to escape, increasing heating and cooling loads. These issues are often locked in once construction is complete, turning energy inefficiency into a permanent operating expense rather than a one-time mistake.

Facilities that invest early in purpose-built lighting systems, reflective surfaces, and thoughtful envelope design typically see lower utility costs, better light quality, and more predictable operating budgets.

Maintenance Costs That Drain Time and Resources

Poor design doesn’t just affect energy usage—it also drives maintenance costs. Lighting systems that require frequent lamp changes or specialized equipment to service high ceilings increase labor expenses and downtime. Finishes that aren’t suited for athletic environments wear out faster, leading to repeated repairs and replacements.

When access for maintenance is not considered during design, even routine tasks become disruptive. This can mean closing courts, rescheduling programming, or allocating staff time to issues that should have been avoidable. Over the lifespan of a facility, these inefficiencies add up to significant, and often untracked, costs.

Designing with durability and serviceability in mind reduces long-term maintenance demands and keeps facilities operating smoothly without constant intervention.

Reduced Revenue from Limited Flexibility

Indoor athletic facilities rarely host just one type of activity. Tennis, pickleball, basketball, volleyball, training programs, leagues, tournaments, and special events often share the same space. Poor facility design can limit this flexibility, reducing the ability to adapt lighting levels, court layouts, or acoustics for different uses.

When lighting cannot be zoned or adjusted, or when spaces are too rigid to reconfigure efficiently, facilities miss opportunities to maximize court usage and rental income. Over time, this lack of flexibility can cap revenue potential and make it harder to respond to changing market demand.

Facilities designed with adaptable systems—such as controllable lighting and multi-use layouts—are better positioned to grow programming, attract new users, and increase utilization without additional construction.

Member Experience and Retention Costs

The member experience is another area where design decisions quietly impact the bottom line. Glare, uneven lighting, poor acoustics, and uncomfortable temperatures affect how athletes feel in a space. While these issues may not show up on a balance sheet immediately, they influence retention, referrals, and overall satisfaction.

Members may not always articulate what’s wrong with a facility, but they notice when spaces feel outdated, uncomfortable, or poorly designed. Over time, this can lead to higher churn rates and increased marketing costs to replace lost members.

High-performing facilities prioritize athlete comfort and visual quality, creating environments that encourage longer stays, repeat visits, and positive word-of-mouth.

How to Avoid These Hidden Costs

Avoiding the hidden costs of poor facility design starts with involving experts who understand how athletic spaces operate day-to-day—not just how they look on paper. Design decisions should be evaluated based on lifecycle cost, operational efficiency, and user experience rather than initial price alone.

Owners and managers benefit from working with partners who have firsthand experience operating facilities, managing energy use, and adapting spaces over time. This perspective helps identify potential issues before they become permanent liabilities and ensures that systems are designed to support long-term success.

A Partner with Real-World Facility Experience

After more than 30 years of owning, managing, and operating indoor athletic clubs, Sports Interiors understands how design decisions impact real facilities long after construction is complete. That experience allows us to help owners and management teams navigate building-related questions with a practical, operations-focused mindset.

From lighting and interior systems to overall facility performance, Sports Interiors can serve as a resource to help avoid costly design missteps and create indoor athletic environments built to perform—today and well into the future.

Investing in smart facility design isn’t just about aesthetics or upfront budgets. It’s about protecting your operating margins, supporting your staff, and delivering the kind of athletic experience that keeps users coming back year after year.