The City of Great Bend would like to proceed with plans to install artificial turf at its Sports Complex. That was the consensus of the City Council following a Tuesday night work session.
The city seeks a partnership with the Great Bend Recreation Commission and Unified School District 428 for the project, City Administrator Kendal Francis said. The city is willing to kick in a tick over 60%, or $920,000, of the $1.4 million endeavor, with the rec commission ponying up $200,000 (as well as annual maintenance of the turf) and the school district $280,000.
Austin, Texas-based Hellas Construction proposed a trio of options from the $1.4 million for turf on the five baseball and softball infields and bullpens to $3.5 million for an upgraded package. Great Bend opted for the smaller package, with the addition of a $100,000 option to include heat-control measures.
The USD 428 School Board discussed the matter during a noon meeting Thursday, and will vote on it March 8. The Rec Commission plans a special meeting today to take up the issue.
The council will cast its official vote when it meets March 1. Francis said they had hoped their partners would have given the green light by then so the work could be scheduled with the company handling the installation.
Now that the school board has delayed action, he will ask the council to approve the measure with the caveat that proceeding hinges on approval of the other parties. In the meantime, since Hellas’ schedule is filling up fast, he will ask the firm to pencil in the city.
The goal would be to have the fields done in time for the 2022 ball seasons.
Playability, especially due to rain, is an issue with the grass surfaces, Francis said. It is estimated that about 50 teams didn’t come to Great Bend in 2019 due to rainouts.
This becomes an economic issue as the city misses out on the revenue those teams bring to town, he said.
The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism provides event impact summaries. The agency uses a spreadsheet calculation that they can provide returns of investment (ROI) for events.
The city asked or information for the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference baseball and softball tournaments, the Kansas State High School Activities Association 2-1A State Baseball Tournament and a large youth tournament. It showed those three provided a net direct ROI of over $240,000.
The turf will last 12-15 years, Francis said. Heavy traffic areas may need more frequent replacement, but that is part of what GBRC would handle.
Great Bend will also set aside some $60,000 each year for maintenance on the fields.
Looking at this as a broader issue, the council would support a quarter-cent sales tax targeting quality of life improvements, Francis said. This would take the total sales tax on retail purchases in Great Bend from 8.25% to 8.50%, with the additional tax generating about $900,000 annually for the sports complex and other projects.
The tax could be put before the voters in the November election, he said. Francis informed the council that even if the sales tax question fails, the city is still in position to set aside funds for the replacement.
The complex was initially designed for grass fields. It would have to be redesigned for turf, but Hellas would handle that.
Background
A committee formed in October 2018 to study the feasibility of installing artificial turf at the Great Bend Sports Complex saw value in the change, but reported to the City Council in December of that year there are much broader, more pressing issues facing the city’s beleaguered recreational facilities that call for a long-range, multi-year master plan.
At that December 2018 meeting, City Administrator Kendal Francis said the city has dropped the ball on maintenance on some of its facilities and it needs to get them up to par first.
The committee included City Clerk Shawna Schafer, council members Jolene Biggs and Cory Urban, USD 428 Superintendent Kris Thexton, Great Bend Recreation Commission Assistant Director Chris Umphres and community representative Shawn Behr. Members wanted the turf wrapped up in the to-be-developed master plan.
The issue was first raised in August 2018 when Mike Minton of the Great Bend Bombers youth baseball organization urged the city to install artificial turf at the Great Bend Sports Complex. The goal would be to make the city more competitive in attracting tournaments to town, while providing safer fields that are less susceptible to having games rained out.
Minton and other turf supporters meeting praised the city’s vision for developing the complex. Opening in 2012, it has served the community well.
But, now it needs upgrades to serve local ballplayers of all levels and remain in the hunt for out-of-town team tourneys, they said.
However, city officials said they would had to study the issue and get commitments from the Great Bend Recreation Commission and USD 428. This led to the formation of the committee.
