Academy Sports and Outdoors is opening a new 1.6 million square foot distribution center in Tennessee in 2016.  The new DC will be located along 1-40 midways between Nashville and Knoxville.

Construction is expected to begin this month with staffing occurring in the fall of 2015 and a projected opening of early 2016.  It is anticipated that the facility will employ approximately 700 people.

“The new distribution center will support the long-term growth and continued expansion of Academy Sports and Outdoors while enabling us to provide our customers with quicker access to their favorite sports, outdoors and lifestyle products for the entire family,” said Rodney Faldyn, Academy’s president and CEO.

Academy currently has 178 stores that are serviced by a distribution center in Texas and another in Georgia.