Elmira church transformed into 'one of a kind' events center, sports complex. Go inside.

Ryan McFall didn’t necessarily expect to open an events center when he purchased the Trinity Church complex in downtown Elmira, but the community has spoken in a steady stream of calls, texts and Facebook messages.

The resounding request? The Elmira and Corning area needs a fresh, exciting venue to host parties, weddings and other events for both kids and adults.

McFall plans to deliver.

“The buzz is crazy about it. I get messages daily, you should do this or do that,” said McFall. “People have been reaching out from the community, and I’m open to considering whatever people want. There’s been a lot more demand than I even anticipated.”

McFall has big plans for the former Trinity Church, which closed in 2020 due to declining attendance. The complex at 304 N. Main St. spans four buildings and roughly 25,000 square feet.

McFall is in the midst of renovations that will transform the property into a multi-use event venue with a focus on sports entertainment. When complete, it will be open for birthday, bachelor and graduation parties, reunions, corporate outings and weddings.

“We’re going to be heavy on bounce houses, laser tag, Nerf stuff. We could have like six different birthday parties going on at once,” said McFall. “There’s a big need for it. The Corning-Elmira area is lacking that. You have to go somewhere like Binghamton, Rochester, Syracuse for something like that.”

What you’ll find at Empire Sports of the Southern Tier

McFall initially targeted Trinity Church for its gym so he could expand his popular Empire Basketball men’s leagues. His new venture, Empire Sports of the Southern Tier, is taking a much more ambitious approach.

The Trinity Church complex will be heaven for sports nuts, hosting activities geared at basketball, football, baseball, volleyball, whiffleball, pickleball, lacrosse, golf and cornhole enthusiasts.

Empire Sports will run occasional tournaments and weekly leagues out of the Church complex for kids and adults, with the facilities also being available for rentals. McFall said Syracuse basketball players will hold youth camps periodically, and a former NFL player is interested in using the facility for a training program.

Indoor batting cages onsite have already been rented out by local travel teams. The complex also features a golf simulator installed in the former choir room.

The pews and several layers of flooring have been removed from the former worship area, where field turf is being installed for a multi-use space that can host cornhole alleys and other events. The surrounding walls will be lined with TVs. Concession-style food and canned drinks, including beer, will be available onsite. Outside, McFall plans to install a whiffleball arena in the spring.

“It’s going to be one of a kind, a historic church with field turf in it and a whiffleball stadium outside,” said McFall. “I think people are looking for activities like that. I’m targeting everyone from a 5-year-old to a 75-year-old.”

When Empire Sports of the Southern Tier expects to open

The various activities will be offered in stages over the coming months. McFall hopes to open the gym and batting cages by Dec. 4, with the cornhole arena coming online by mid-December followed by the golf simulator in January.

“I’m just trying get it all first class,” said McFall. “If I make it the best it can be, I think people will keep coming back. It will be quite a cool complex when it’s all done.”

Many of the church’s historic touches, like the stained-glass windows, will remain in place during renovations. Construction of the church started in 1855 and the property was listed on the National Register of Historic Place in 2007. McFall said the bar tops and ledges between the windows will be made from the church pews.

Many of the renovations have involved upgrades and cosmetic work, rather than a full overhaul.

“It’s quite the complex. The architecture and the history is a little breathtaking,” said McFall. “It was maintained well.”

More: Elmira budget calls for slight property tax bump, preserves services. What to know about proposal

Boosting Elmira and the Southern Tier

The property will be returning to the tax rolls for the first time since the mid-19th century. It is now assessed at $180,000. McFall expects to employ a mix of 10-20 full and part-time positions at Empire Sports of the Southern Tier.

McFall is an East Corning resident who also owns Superclean Carpet Services operating throughout the Corning and Elmira areas. The property’s downtown location at the corner of Main and Church was a significant selling point as he considered acquiring the church.

“Elmira is on the comeback right now. We have a lot going on with LECOM and downtown development,” said McFall. “We wanted to get into it early rather than later. Hopefully this will be part of it because it will spur a lot of people going downtown.

"We’ll have people coming into the area for massive two-day cornhole tournaments and things like that. It should be a good economic developer for downtown.”

This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Empire Sports of Southern Tier opening in old Elmira Trinity church