It might be the end of an era to see the iconic neon sports man sign on the front of the The Sports Center in Yakima not being lit up and swirling around slowly. Rumors about the abrupt closing of the building, which has been a fixture of downtown since 1910, began pouring in on Tuesday evening of July 21st.
When I first saw a friend’s post saying they heard The Sports Center was permanently closed, I was in shock and disbelief. I mean, I’ve been going to this spot since I moved to Yakima in 2002. It was the place all my friends would go to hang out. The bartenders, servers, and cooks were so cool, they became like extended family to us.
HERE’S WHAT WE CAN CONFIRM
I drove past the restaurant last night after seeing the rumors and noticed a “Sorry, We’re Closed” sign on both the front and back doors. The iconic neon sign of the hunter with the rifle was not spinning around, and his neon lights were turned off as well. GASP.
WHAT THE PUBLIC RECORDS SHOW
A parcel search in the Yakima County Assessor’s public portal reveals that the owner of the restaurant belonging to Wmt Enterprises LLC.*** A warranty deed was transferred to Yakima-based Bradshaw Investments in 2021.
A call by this reporter requesting a comment from the person listed as a principal advisor to the company has not been returned as of the time of this writing.
A call and email sent to The Sports Center phone number listed on the Facebook page were unanswered and not responded to as of the time of this writing.
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The restaurant’s website is still showing up as active and its Facebook page was last active on July 17th, but a quick Google search does show the business as permanently closed.
PUBLIC REACTION IS MOSTLY SHOCK AND DISBELIEF
You can only imagine how others here in Yakima are dealing with the news about the closure of The Sports Center. I have seen reactions and unconfirmed rumors on my social media feed ranging from, “They informed the staff last night and changed the locks,” to “I overheard they are looking for new ownership,” and “Can anyone confirm?”
HOPE TO SAVE THE RESTAURANT STILL REMAINS
The building is worth $785,100 according to the Taxable Value listed in public property records, so hopefully, someone will pay off the delinquent property taxes, purchase the building, and reopen it!
When one of our favorite bartenders Lindsay, had passed away years ago, it was a somber time in the city–she was loved that much and I still miss her sweet, smiling face. When one of the co-owners, Eric Phillips, moved away a few years back, everyone I knew including me were so sad. He was so well loved by customers, he made The Sports Center feel like the bar on the TV show Cheers when you walked in!
Some of my friends even through my baby shower in the banquet room before it was turned into a game room. All this to say, it’s a sad day in Yakima if the bar is closed for good. The end of an era indeed.
I’ve even had friends who did paranormal investigations in the attic because there have been rumors for years that the bar is “haunted.”
***County public records show that 2025 excise taxes and penalty fees on the account are delinquent in the amount of $16,756.08.
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Gallery Credit: Reesha Cosby