Sterlington children and travel ball players are one step closer to walking out on a "field of dreams" following a Monday groundbreaking at the site of the Sterlington Sports Complex.
Mayor Vern Breland said signage has been posted at the field's LA-136 location, and the town is hoping to bid the project out Sept. 1 and open bids by the end of the month.
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"Our plan is to have that up and operational so we can actually start our league out here for the residents of Sterlington," Breland said, highlighting a March 2017 target date.
The construction of the sport's complex is to take place across three phases. Phase 1 is currently launching. Breland said the town borrowed $2 million against a half-cent sales tax passed in November 2015 to start the project, $1.5 million from Homeland Bank and $500,000 through the Louisiana Public Finance Authority.
He said the town's plans include going back to the bonding commission in January to borrow the money needed to start Phase 2. He said he would also be applying for USDA funds during Phase 2 and capital outlay funding during Phase 3.
In Phase 1, the first pod of five baseball fields will be constructed.
"They will actually be 220 feet in length, which gives us the ability for baseball and girl's softball," Breland said. "By building the one pod with five fields in it, it will actually open us up so we can host travel ball tournaments."
Phase 2 would include five additional fields of the same size while Phase 3 would see the construction of five regular baseball fields 375 feet in length, which would provide the town with the playing capacity to attract major high school tournaments.
A goal of the project since its inception has been attracting increased economic development in Sterlington while also driving traffic to existing businesses, thereby increasing revenue. When the town introduced the sports complex concept, discussion of possible hotel and restaurant construction was presented at council meetings by various developers.
"It's going to be a major driver for economic development," Breland said. "When they come into your town with travel ball, they are spending anywhere between $850 to $1000 a weekend when they are there with you. From hotel stays to restaurants."
He said the field will also provide Sterlington baseball players with an enhanced venue for their league games.
"When we proposed this tax to our citizens, we told them we would build a first-rate facility," Breland said. "Our kids would get to play on new facilities that will have AstroTurf infields and grass outfields. It will sort of be like Youngsville (Sports Complex) is what we are looking at, but we are looking at building ours bigger and better. For kids to stroll out there on these new fields, it will be, as we call it, their 'Field of Dreams.'"