A $27 million renovation of the Keller Sports Park hopes to turn it into “the premier youth sports complex” in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Mayor Armin Mizani told the Star-Telegram.
“Our vision for Keller is to remain Texas’s Most Family Friendly City, and our parks and trail system, including the Keller Sports Park, is consistently named among our residents’ most cherished amenities,” Mayor Armin Mizani told the Star-Telegram. “The improvements to the Keller Sports Park, funded through sales tax revenue, will not only mean added fields and refurbishment to what already exists but will also aid our economic development efforts in recruiting vibrant retail and restaurants to our adjacent commercial corridors. At completion, these improvements will make the Keller Sports Park the premier youth sports complex in the Metroplex, all while strengthening our identity and vision.”
The 140 acre sports facility at 265 Golden Triangle Blvd. will be upgraded by Parkhill, an Arlington design firm.
The Star-Telegram spoke with the City of Keller about what exactly the Keller Sports Park renovations will look like. Here’s what spokesperson Rachel Reynolds told us.
• Converting the baseball 4-plex to synthetic turf infields and foul lines
• Converting soccer pad B to synthetic turf
• Repurposing the West Multipurpose Field into two 175-foot baseball fields with synthetic turf infields and foul lines
• Adding a new rugby-sized multipurpose field and accompanying parking lot on the north side of the park
• Transitioning KYA’s “Field 16” into an all-synthetic Miracle League field, opening up the sports park to players of all abilities
• Upgrading KYA’s “Field 15” to a 175-foot field with synthetic turf infields and foul lines
• Replacing the existing KYA fieldhouse and restroom/concessions building
• Upgrading bathrooms throughout the park
• Adding a new bathroom/storage facility near the equestrian arena and lacrosse field (along with a pedestrian connection from lacrosse)
• Upgrading the soil, seating, and viewing area shade structures at the equestrian arena
• Building new backstops, dugouts etc., for the East Multipurpose Field
• Replacing field fencing throughout the park (except the still-new lacrosse field)
• Replacing backstops for all baseball and softball fields
• Adding lighting to the lacrosse field
• Improving ADA accessibility between parking areas and bleachers for fields along the north side of the park (the southern section is already compliant)
• Upgrading bleachers and shade structures throughout the park and adding scoreboards, etc. to new fields
• Addition of a splash pad
• Upgrades and relocations of the park’s water and sewer infrastructure
Note: This list is subject to change as the City Council continues to discuss this project, and they haven’t received bids back yet. After the council approves a bid on this project, plans will be nailed down at that point.
City Council has approved an updated master plan for the park, and the city recently wrapped up the construction documents.
The list of planned improvements came from extensive discussions with a Keller Sports Park Task Force, created in June 2021, comprised of representatives from the park’s user groups (Keller Youth Association, Keller Soccer Association, Keller Lacrosse Association, Alliance Rugby Club, and the Keller Horse Owner’s Association), in addition to members of the Parks & Recreation Board and City Council.
Work will be completed in phases, and city staff is working with the user groups to adjust their schedules accordingly.
The project will be funded by the Keller Development Corporation Fund. That fund receives a 1/2-cent of sales tax revenue, which voters earmarked for park and recreation capital projects.
The scope of the project has changed since our original timeline estimates, Reynolds said. They added water and sewer infrastructure upgrades into the designs, and City Council decided to pursue a splash pad at the park. The city now hopes to break ground in January 2024. If work begins in January, the project is expected to reach “substantial completion” by December 2025.
Improved amenities will provide an improved user experience for players and their families and friends, Reynolds says. Synthetic turf should minimize rainouts during the season and will cut down on the maintenance required of the associations. New additions like the splash pad will make the Keller Sports Park a destination for area families even if they don’t participate in the leagues.
This story was originally published October 2, 2023, 5:13 PM.