Is The Sports Center Yakima’s Most Haunted Hangout?

I've heard rumors for many years that the Yakima Sports Center was one of the most haunted places in Yakima. You know the typical ghost stories you hear from friends. Or you get your tales via the old game of telephone where someone heard from someone who heard from their great uncle about someone being murdered. Luckily for me (and for you reading this), I was able to talk a little bit with the manager of Sports Center, Derek Garcia.

When I asked him if the rumors about it being haunted were true, he enthusiastically said “YES!” Derek and some of the other crew had consulted with Yakima historians on the history of the building, trying to track down the possible source of the paranormal activity that has gone on. Apparently there’s not a lot of information, besides that the upstairs use to be a hotel, and then a brothel and then got a little “seedier than that.”

“There’s been rumors of people dying, being stabbed in there. We can’t find actual documentation of that, but everyone said there was some shady stuff going on.”
– Derek Garcia.

 

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I then brought up the question we all have… “What have you experienced?” A couple of incidents that stood out in his head was walking upstairs and having a glass fall behind him, a chair moving three plus feet on its own. One of the coolest and weirdest events happened by the back window when he witnessed three glowing orbs come together and explode like a little firework.

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“I’ve been there off and on for the past 15 years. Everyone that’s worked there has had someone touch them or yell at them from across an empty bar.” -  Derek Garcia

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What Is Haunting The Sports Center?

Derek said that a paranormal research group did come in, and were able to capture plenty of EVP’s (electronic voice phenomenon) and they believe that the haunting is by an older lady, possibly the previous "late" owner from the 90’s before it closed down. Everyone who has experienced her, feel that she’s harmless and just looking after the place, but then they believe that there are other things that, that might be a little more mischievous.

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