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Region's Leaders Wisely Investing In Recreation for Residents, Guests

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 16, 2008

The Tampa Bay region offers residents plenty of sports to watch, indoors and out. So it's only fair we get more chances to play, too.

On that front, residents of Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties will get plenty of opportunities as area governments invest tens of millions of dollars in sports venues - a niche increasingly coming to define the region.

In a couple of years, Pasco will be calling out, "Tennis, everyone!" After years of delays, the county is back on track to build a tennis complex in Wesley Chapel that will feature 15 courts and a 5,000-seat stadium for tournaments - the largest tennis facility in Central Florida. The complex will be open to professionals, amateurs and anyone who wants to learn to play.

Pasco is using tourist tax dollars - about $8 million - to build the facility, an ideal use of the funds. And the Porter family of Wiregrass Ranch donated the 24-acre site, a most generous gift.

Pasco hopes the venue will build tourist traffic, which today is limited to ecotourism, as more people explore the county's backwoods and rivers, and festivals.
County leaders say professional tennis leaders are enthusiastic about the complex and the market, a must since Pasco's goal is to land professional tournaments.

It helps that the facility will be operated by Saddlebrook Resort, an internationally known tennis training center that has been home to some of the world's famous players. Saddlebrook owner Tom Dempsey has major connections in professional tennis, so it's an ideal partnership for the county.

In Hillsborough, county officials recently agreed to spend about $50 million in Community Investment Tax dollars over three years to improve a variety of parks and recreation features, including the construction of a 24-field soccer complex. A location hasn't yet been identified.

The $15 million soccer complex aims to draw national tournaments, while spinning off revenue to run the county's parks and recreation system. The project is a pared-down version of the $40 million "Championship Park" project once proposed by Commissioner Jim Norman. It makes more sense to spread the money over a number of projects. More people will benefit.

The project also addresses the glaring deficiency in fields needed by local youth leagues. It's win-win all around.

Hillsborough will face some neighborly competition from Polk County, which last week broke ground on a 275-acre, $14-million multisports complex near Auburndale.

That venue will include 17 baseball and soccer fields, as well as a 1,500-seat stadium. It will become home base for the Florida Youth Soccer Association and is expected to host a number of college and youth league tournaments.

Some in Polk call the project their field of dreams and it's easy to see why. The facility could become a mecca for youth sports and dreams, possibly developing future Olympians and professional athletes.

And construction won't cost Polk taxpayers a dime. As in Pasco, tourism tax dollars will pay for the project on Berkley Road. Officials project an annual economic impact of $50 million, a tremendous boost.

While the region's professional sports teams draw the most attention, it's exciting to see the region continue to develop its reputation as a sports destination.

It's enough to make us run out and buy some new sneakers.

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