CREDIT: JOHN MAHONEY THE GAZETTE Alex Naim, his wife, Sameera (third from left), and daughters (from left) Yasmeen, Karina (with soccer ball), Tania and Rima try out one of the caged soccer fields at the Sportira Cage facility in Anjou.

There is no denying the Naim clan is cagey in business.

Alex Naim, wife Sameera and their four daughters today officially open their latest venture, Sportira Cage, which they are touting as the first and only indoor caged multi-sport facility in Canada and possibly North America.

"I researched it on the Internet for more than a year and there's nothing close to it except in Germany and Singapore," Naim said yesterday of the concept of indoor playing fields divided by the highest grade of chain-link fence rather than conventional walls, curtains or tempered glass.

"I saw it many years ago at a trade show in Germany and the idea stayed with me," added Naim, who has operated soccer fashion and accessories wholesaler Sportira the past decade.

"It's an edgy look, along with the black and red paint job, which gives a certain dimension to attract youths and extreme sports enthusiasts," he said.

There is already interest in franchising the concept since its "soft opening in December to test it out," he added.

The Naims have a 10-year lease on an old 22,000-square-foot warehouse in Anjou where they spent more than $500,000 renovating the space, doing the work themselves last fall.

Slightly less than half the surface is taken up by four fake-grass fields and two cushioned-carpet courts - surfaces provided by Montreal's FieldTurf Inc. - that are designed for three-on-three and four-on-four sports.

Those relatively small caged playing surfaces, with protective padding all around, are good for such sports as soccer, basketball, dodgeball and floor hockey.

There's also a "relaxation cage" with tables, chairs and a flat-screen TV for holding parties and other events.

"We want this to be a fun place for everybody," said Naim, 58.

It's truly a family affair. Karina, 25, helps run Sportira Cage, which is co-owned by her parents.

Rima, who founded CoSolutions in 2001 to help small- and medium-size businesses secure private financing and government support, serves as financial consultant.

As well, her 30-year-old twin sister Yasmeen owns Spherika, the Web-

design firm that created the Sportira and Sportira Cage sites.

Tanya, 28, is responsible for TeeJays screen printing that does shirts for both Sportira and Sportira Cage.

Sportira was moved to the new location to have both businesses under the same roof.

There is an annual membership fee of $20 for those 16 and older, and 120 people have signed up so far.

Hourly rates range from $75 for the courts and $100 for the so-called "mega cage," along with early-bird specials for both. The facility is open from 9 a.m. to midnight seven days a week.

mking@thegazette.canwest.com

www.sportiracage.com