The new sports complex for Panama City Beach moved one step closer to reality. The Tourist Development Council held a special meeting Thursday morning to hear from the top two firms competing to be the project manager.

Anchor CEI and ReliantSouth did back to back presentations in front of the board. In the end Anchor CEI won by an unanimous vote. Anchor will supervise almost every step that goes into building this complex and TDC members agree they are very qualified for the job. The firm has worked on other major local projects such as the Hiland Park Sports Complex as well as the fields at Walton and Arnold High School.

"It's a great project, it's a project of regional significance," said Elizabeth Moore, the President of Anchor CEI. "It's gonna mean a lot to this community and we are just excited and humbled to be a part of it."

Sports are already a big part of Panama City Beach's economy. The TDC estimates sports have an economic impact of $75 million a year. The new sports park will have multipurpose fields capable of hosting a wide variety of sports. The TDC hopes the new sports village will attract high level tournaments to the area.

Moore hopes it is a complex the community will use for decades.

"I do have three small boys that are very active in just about anything we can keep them in," said Moore. "I hope this is something we can use for whenever they're in high school and their kids can use from here on out."

In the coming weeks, Anchor CEI will meet with the TDC and city officials to work out the details of the project.

The sports complex will cost and estimated $30 million and the TDC hopes to have it open by 2018.

 

Source : wjhg.com

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