Howard County officials are to open a new indoor sports arena, the final piece of Meadowbrook Park, today in the southeast corner of the intersection of routes 29 and 100 in Ellicott City. The facility was to officially open at 9 a.m. with a ribbon cutting. It contains courts for volleyball and basketball, and provides flexible open space for a variety of indoor sports, including laser tag and other indoor games. The $8.5 million, 77-acre park also contains a large outdoor playground, walking paths and picnic pavilions, and is next to a park-and-ride lot for commuters. A performance by Kangaroo Kids and a volleyball exhibition and other celebrations were scheduled.

- Larry Carson