Whispers of McAlester needing a multi-sports complex grew to a roar last week and a local club is doing something about it.

The McAlester Sertoma Club announced Tuesday at a meeting with representatives of local youth sports associations that it plans to build a multi-sports complex on 93-acres in Alderson.

“We want something that’s nicer than anything around us,” Sertoma Club President Aaron Heathcock said. “We want people to think of this as the jewel and come here because of that.”

Preliminary plans for the complex include two high school baseball fields, eight 12-under and softball fields, three soccer/football fields, a 292,000-square-foot parking lot, and room for expansion.

The Sertoma Club signed a contract on the 93-acres and has 30 days to raise $270,000 or provide pledges to secure the property.

Heathcock said the group will be reaching out to donors and welcomes anyone who wants to support the project to donate.

The group also said it has a verbal commitment from the Choctaw Nation to help fund the construction process, but must fill out written contracts to move forward.

“I appreciate the Sertoma Club for stepping up and filling a void that’s been long needed,” McAlester head baseball coach Justin Bond said.

Estimates called for nearly $20 million to include turf fields, but the sports complex in Durant was built for much less.

The Durant Multi-Sports Complex was built in 2006 and cost $7,216,699 in total — including $6,337,441 alone for the construction contract — for the city.

The total figure also includes charges for land, architect/engineer, surveys, civil engineering, roads/streets, construction management and construction, but doesn’t account for ongoing expenses.

Operation, maintenance and management costs for the park for fiscal year 2014-2015 was $468,216, while the same costs rose to an estimated $545,00 for FY15/16. The budgeted expenditures for FY16/17 is slotted at $585,631.

Heathcock said Jim Kelley brought the idea to the group that McAlester and area youth baseball players shouldn’t have to travel hours away to play games.

The group then considered the needs of other local youth sports organizations — PittCo baseball, four local OK Kids baseball teams, Mac United Soccer, McAlester Youth Football League, etc. — before making plans to build the complex.

New Haileyville head baseball and softball coach Roy West said several local youth teams will benefit from having a complex close to home.

“It’d be nice to stay home so a lot of the parents could stay home and some grandparents could see their kids play,” West said.

Challenges with hosting the annual Junior Sunbelt Classic in McAlester this year — with part of the tournament held in Atoka — advanced the need for a facility.

Heathcock said Sertoma plans to help all local sports groups, including rural high schools, to host events and will host four 15-team tournaments as the core revenue builder.

The new complex will also need a full-time complex superintendent and seasonal maintenance staffers.

 

Source : mcalesternews.com

Report Abuse