08/05/2022
The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) recently announced that the City of Daphne has been awarded a $1.65 million grant to boost sports tourism by installing recreational turf on all infields at the City’s Sports Complex.
Daphne Mayor Robin LeJeune said the federal money will be partnered with approximately $600,000 from the city to finance the project at the three-year-old complex.
“These funds will help the city continue to boost sports tourism and recreational sports in Daphne. The proposed improvements will allow the city to maximize the amount of playability of the fields and then, in turn, provide more of an economic driver for the city’s hotels and restaurants,” LeJeune said.
LeJeune said the project will consist of installing the turf on one side of the complex at a time, and he hopes it can be completed on all 10 fields by next summer. The T-ball field, completed earlier this year, is currently the only field with turf at the complex.
The State of Alabama Congressional Delegation including Senator Richard Shelby, Senator Tommy Tuberville and U.S. Representative Jerry Carl, all wrote letters in support that were included in the grant application. Lee Lawson with the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance was instrumental communicating with the Federal EDA, and local hotels also wrote letters of support, due to the popularity of sports tourism and the visitors it brings into the area.
“Anyone we could ask for assistance, we did,” LeJeune said. “ Our City Staff did an amazing job formulating a plan and they executed it perfectly. It was an amazing team effort on their part to build upon the successful economic driver that the sports complex has become since it opened. It immediately became one of the best recreational complexes on the Gulf Coast, and now with the synthetic turf we are taking that complex to the next level.”
The 70-acre sports complex is located at 7060 Park Drive and has seen numerous additions within the past 12 months: A new all-inclusive playground was opened last November, an adjacent splash pad opened in May, and family restrooms are set to open next month.
LeJeune said the city will open a recreational trail system at the Sports Complex this fall. He said the trail’s length is approximately 2 miles through wooded areas. “It will be really great in that it gives us a true place for cross country runners to have races and it’s a great place to be part of nature,” LeJeune said.
He added, “We’re adding pieces to (the complex) all the time. That’s the great thing about the Daphne Sports Complex and the vision City Leadership had to get it built. The commitment of our Council and my Office to improve the quality of life for our citizens is our number one priority. We will continue to look for ways to improve our beautiful Jubilee City and invest in Daphne’s Future."
