Atlantis Sports donates $4.128 million to enhance VMAC

Adams 12 Five Star Schools students, community swimmers and visiting organizations will benefit from improvements to the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center supported by a $4.128 million donation from Atlantis Sports.

The Adams 12 Board of Education approved an agreement to accept the donation during its Aug. 19 meeting. The funding will support the installation of a new tile pool shell compatible with underwater hockey. In addition to improving the quality and versatility of the facility, the new pool shell is expected to reduce ongoing maintenance needs and costs compared with the current surface.

The Atlantis Sports contribution will complement additional district investments in the VMAC funded by the voter-approved 2024 bond. That work includes pool deck resurfacing, as well as upgrades to the fire alarm system, starting blocks and plumbing.

“This partnership brings together an extraordinarily generous contribution from Atlantis Sports and the Five Star community’s investment through the 2024 bond,” said Chris Gdowski, Adams 12 superintendent. “The result will be a stronger facility for our students and a more versatile community asset. We are deeply grateful to Atlantis Sports for helping expand what is possible at the VMAC for years to come.”

The improvements are intended to align the pool with standards recognized by the Colorado High School Activities Association and the National Federation of State High School Associations. They will also expand aquatic programming opportunities for Adams 12 students and the Thornton community and position the VMAC as a prime contender to host the 2029 Underwater Hockey World Championships, a 14-day international event anticipated for late summer 2029.

Underwater hockey is a fast paced, limited contact team sport that shares ice hockey’s basic objective — moving a puck into the opposing team’s goal — but is played very differently. Wearing masks, snorkels and fins, players use a short one-handed stick to maneuver the puck along the bottom of the pool during brief dives that combine individual skill and athleticism with team coordination and tactics.

“Atlantis Sports is proud to support improvements that will benefit students, local water sport enthusiasts and the broader underwater hockey community,” said Atlantis Sports CEO Eric Straily. “It is our hope that this project will introduce more local people to the sport and bring athletes from around the world to Thornton.”

The VMAC improvement project is currently in the design phase. Construction is anticipated to begin in March 2027, with substantial completion expected by fall 2027.

VMAC is a 50-meter pool that serves as the home of Adams 12 boys and girls swimming and diving programs. It is also available for rental by community organizations and event organizers. Improving the facility will strengthen those uses and create additional opportunities for outside groups to bring programming and events to the Adams 12 community.

The agreement also provides for one to two underwater hockey practice sessions at the VMAC each week, subject to the district’s established scheduling policies and operational requirements.