The Plano Sports Authority, which has come close to "maxing out" the PSA StarCenter, is preparing to build the city's second indoor sports facility.

The process begins at 7 p.m. today when PSA goes before the Plano Parks and Recreation and Planning Board requesting to lease an undeveloped portion of Enfield Park to construct an indoor facility in northeast Plano.

The StarCenter, which opened in 2002, attracts 5,000 youths on a given weekend for basketball, inline hockey and other sports. That has forced PSA to rent 35 gyms from the Plano ISD to help handle the 32,000 participants in the city's indoor sports programs.

"We're where we were in 1997," said Mary Margaret Taylor, PSA executive director. "It's time to start the long-term planning on another one. But it's not something we can wiggle our nose and it happens tomorrow."

The new facility would be available to adults, enhancing PSA's proposal, said Don Wendell, director of parks and recreation. The PSA StarCenter is available to youths only.

"There is real need," Wendell said. "The fact that it's open to all ages, there is a real need for adult indoor space because so many people are active and sports-minded in the community."

Taylor said today's meeting is about letting the park board know PSA is interested in building a second indoor facility. PSA hopes the new facility would be open in two to four years, she said. Construction started on the StarCenter in late 2000. The building opened Jan. 14, 2002.

If the parks board determines part of Enfield Park should be available for lease, PSA would go before the city council. If it agrees with the parks board, the city would then accept proposals from others interested in the land.

PSA was the only agency to make a proposal on the land at Carpenter Park where the StarCenter was built. PSA pays the city $1 per year for the lease because it is considered a public benefit.

Wendell expects a similar agreement if PSA or another agency leases the land at Enfield Park.

In addition to basketball and inline hockey, the PSA has programs for volleyball, indoor lacrosse, indoor soccer, arena football, ice skating, ice hockey, wrestling and dance team.

Taylor said she felt pretty good about working out an agreement with the parks board.

"All things being right, it will come to pass," Taylor said.