LAWTON — Lawton’s indoor youth sports complex could be built on land next to the Grandview Sports Complex, located behind Eisenhower Elementary, middle and high schools.
Eastern Sports Management, which is managing Lawton’s youth sports programs, has recommended putting the facility on a 60-acre property adjacent to the Grandview complex.
“There’s a lot of good sites in this market, but this is the one we like best.” ESM President John Wack said during a Feb. 27 meeting of the Lawton Youth Sports Authority.
The authority did not make a formal recommendation based on ESM’s presentation but will discuss the issue again Thursday.
ESM teamed up with other companies on a detailed analysis of the proposed youth sports complex, known as a feasibility study. Feasibility studies consider all aspects of a project to determine whether it is likely to succeed.
The study for the facility included a market analysis, a conceptual design for the building and a site selection report. ESM compiled a list of 10 possible sites and narrowed it down to three: The site adjacent to Grandview, KCA trust land north of Elmer Thomas Park on Cache Road, and a privately owned site on East Lee Boulevard, off Southeast 45th Street.
All three sites were large enough to house the youth sports complex and accommodate future expansion.
“We did a little analysis comparing those three,” Wack said. “They’re all pretty close, but really, Grandview is the one that stood out. And it’s the one that we would recommend that you use.”
He said if that site is not available for some reason, the market has other properties that could accommodate the facility.
The property next to the Grandview complex has the following advantages, according to the feasibility study:
• It is near an existing recreational site.
• The cost of acquiring the property is lower than for the other two properties.
• Several access points can be added to the property.
• The site is currently vacant and does not appear to have any zoning issues.
• Development time – including permitting – would probably be quicker than for the other two properties.
The Oklahoma Commissioners of the Land Office, which administers school trust land funds to generate revenue for public schools and colleges, owns the property next to the Grandview complex. The agency allows commercial and recreational use of the properties that it owns, but it does not sell them.
That means Lawton would have to lease the property from the state if the city decides to build the sports complex at that location.
Wack and YSA Chairman Brian Henry presented the study’s findings to the Lawton City Council during the council’s Feb. 28 meeting. The council will take up the issue again after the YSA makes a formal site recommendation.
Conceptual design
ESM has recommended building a two-story, 146,000-square-foot facility that would include eight basketball courts and two indoor artificial-turf fields. The basketball courts could be converted into 16 volleyball courts.
Other amenities would include:
• A commercial-grade kitchen capable of handling large crowds.
• Dining space with tables and chairs.
• An esports gaming room.
• Four multipurpose rooms.
• A viewing deck for spectators.
ESM estimated that the sports complex would cost about $31.72 million, depending on what’s inside the building.