[DetroitMan]

New $40M youth sports complex considered for Kalamazoo County

A new youth sports complex is being considered in Kalamazoo County, after a study suggested the investment could generate more than a billion dollars for local economy over 20 years.

The estimated cost to build it would be around $40 million. The idea is still in its early phase, and key details haven’t been ironed out yet, like location for the facility and who would pay for the project. Despite those significant pieces on the to-do list, there is interest in moving the project forward, said Brian Persky of Discover Kalamazoo.

“Youth participation is exploding in sports,” Persky said. “It’s almost as if the country hasn’t kept up with the demand. That’s why you’re seeing facilities pop up everywhere, because destinations are realizing there is a return on this and it brings hundreds of thousands of people to your community,”

The study shows the biggest opportunity is for basketball and volleyball courts, partly because of demand and existing offerings in the region, Persky said.

An indoor artificial turf area would also likely be included in the estimated 100,000-square-foot to 140,000-square-foot facility, he said.

The ideal facility would have eight to 12 basketball courts, which could be configured as 16 to 24 volleyball courts, Persky said. It would take about 12 acres of space to build on, he said.

A hypothetical draft of the plans shows eight basketball courts (or 16 volleyball courts in their place), though those plans may change depending on partnerships that develop and other factors, Persky said. It could also be configured for other sports, and organizers envision it being used seven days a week, he said.

https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo...oo-county.html