Another run being made at this in Virginia Beach. Should be interesting to see how it plays out
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Deja vu all over again - Yogi Berra
It is a very ambitious plan. I hope it is successful and they plan "incrementally". Recently two examples come to mind where I think the sports visionary and business people bit off more than they could chew. Of course I'm speaking of the orginal Virginia Sports Complex in Ruthers Glen (10+ years ago) and the former Sports Quest in Midlothian in 2008. Great plans but I think they scaled too much too quick. We'll see how this plays out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SportsQuest
And then there's the Fredericksburg facility for the Hagerstown Suns and Diamond Nation that is moving along. Something has to give.
And don't forget the new Cal Ripken complex in Fredericksburg though it has a different mission. I see too many facilities and not enough teams to support the facilities.
I know VSC is getting pricey. Last summer my son's legion team had a few "home" games there. It was $175 for the field plus $100/hour once the lights were turned on - games were in the evening. I think it averaged out about $350/game not including the umps. Before long they switched to the HS - the AD only charged $150/game and no extra charge for the lights.
There are certainly plenty of teams to occupy these fields, at least on weekends or over the summer. The problem is, the potential revenue won't cover the costs that you have to incur.
None of these places are viable without ongoing cash infusions, whether from government or from a rich sponsor or both.
I'd love to see the fields, in both places, but I'm not holding my breath. Localities are rightly leery of taking these on.
Originally Posted by Midlo Dad:
There are certainly plenty of teams to occupy these fields, at least on weekends or over the summer. The problem is, the potential revenue won't cover the costs that you have to incur.
None of these places are viable without ongoing cash infusions, whether from government or from a rich sponsor or both.
I'd love to see the fields, in both places, but I'm not holding my breath. Localities are rightly leery of taking these on.
Let's not get the government financing youth sports complexes. Its bad enough pro sports franchises with billionaire owners hold up the government for stadiums. If someone made a bad business decision building a sports complex let them go out of business. I'm tired of government bailing out bad business decisions.
if it comes great. I live in the Suffolk area so if it does not hit my taxes can't wait to have some nice fields to play on.