| 6/22/2009 8:31:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article | Sports complex
may become reality
Jeannie Gregory
Editor
The possibility of a sports complex within the Rockford area has gained momentum. The West Michigan Sports Commission (WMSC) has deemed the 90-acre parcel located at 10 Mile Road and Wolven in Plainfield Township a prime location for the project.
The WMSC presented a plan to the Kent County Commission last week for a 12-field baseball and softball complex on the south side of Ten Mile.
According to WZZM TV-13, WMSC board member David Hoogendorn said, "We believe that very conservatively over a 10 year period, we could generate around $49 million worth of hotel revenue only."
Rockford City Manager Michael Young and the Ten Mile Corridor Planning Committee met on Tuesday, June 16, to discuss the development of the county-owned land.
In a letter to council he said, "As I have informed you in the past, the West Michigan Sports Commission has completed a report that indicates such a facility would be a great asset to the region and would be a significant draw and a major economic development success."
According to Young, "The success of the proposal will hinge on fundraising activities and the agreement of the Kent County Board of Commisioners to lease the property to the sports commission."
WZZM reported that Hoogendorn said that the project would cost an estimated $5.6 million with much of the financing coming from private donations.
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