South Walton Sports Complex Update

[BeachSiO2]

Thanks. It's easier just to ask the peanut gallery.

I understand.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Is NatureWalk 102 acres? (just kidding, but that would be nice)

 

[sarawind]

Park sounds like a good thing.

 

[JustBeachy]

Slips out of lurkdom to add my 2 pennies worth. This sounds like a great idea. A nice pool complex and baseball/softball fields could bring in extra revenue (as if Walton Co needs more tourists) in the form of tournaments and swim/diving meets...and honestly the more structured recreation available to the youngsters, the less free time for mischief. Or so the theory goes. I know I always found time for mischief...still do.

 

[DavidD]

I am personally for more civic facilities in SoWal. That is about my only complaint with the area. Although I appreciate all of the local resort developments' green spaces, it would be great to have some spaces that are truly for the community, especially if it included ballfields or pools. I'm sure that the resort developments would like to keep their property reserved primarily for their guests. As far as the bed tax goes, I see it as the visiting population giving back to help maintain a healthy and happy SoWal. A yin yang or cosmic balance.

What would it take for the local government to create some indoor facilities for locals to use during the burning summer days and the colder winter days? The outdoors are truly magnificent in SoWal, but there are times when indoor space would be a welcome relief, especially now that the coastal library branch will be closed on Saturday.

 

[Seasider]

Don't need it. Don't want it. Bed taxes should be going to maintain the beaches, not diverted to other spending.

 

[TooFarTampa]

A very brief search led me to some sports complex plans in my area in the past couple of years.

One opened in FishHawk Ranch (newer development) at a cost of just under $10 million for 70 acres. No pool, mostly fields, concessions, restrooms.

One proposal was for a very controversial $40 million project on over 400 acres, with a midsized stadium surrounded by other playing fields. As far as I know it is dead in the water.

It seems like the county is looking at a multi-use building for arts and sports, some fields, and hopefully a pool? I would be all for it but paying for it is another issue. As someone who communicates directly with renters on a frequent basis, I don't think expecting them to cough up additional dollars to pay for it is a good plan at this point. Maybe revenues will be up without raising the taxes by the time the plans are ready to go.

 

[TooFarTampa]

From re-reading the link in the original post, it appears the county is studying the feasibility of two separate facilities, possibly (probably?) in two separate places. Page 22 has a breakdown of what the sports complex would contain, and it doesn't appear to have the arts plans included in that breakdown of 102 acres. It doesn't seem to say how much space they would need for the arts complex, but I'm guessing the 5,000-10,000 seat facility alone needs plenty of room.

 

[florida girl]

Coming from a family with no affiliation to sports, it's rather foreign to me. Is this part of a stimulus plan for our economy?

 

[Matt J]

Coming from a family with no affiliation to sports, it's rather foreign to me. Is this part of a stimulus plan for our economy?

Please re-read the thread and post again. :roll: