LAWTON — The McMahon Foundation has awarded the Lawton Youth Sports Trust Authority a $3 million grant to help cover the cost of building and outfitting the city’s indoor youth sports complex.
The authority voted 5-0 May 11 to accept the grant, which will be divided into six annual installments of $500,000 per year. The funds may be used only for construction costs and equipment purchases for the sports complex.
The foundation was receptive when the authority applied for the grant, Authority Chairman Brian Henry said.
“’Overwhelming support’ is what we were told from the trustees,” he said.
Henry said the authority had asked the foundation whether grant funds could be applied to the cost of designing the youth sports complex, but the answer was “No.”
The authority is considering two possible locations for the youth sports complex. The first site, which is located next to the Grandview Sports Complex on Southwest 52nd Street, is owned by the Oklahoma Commissioners for the Land Office.
The second site, located at Cache Road and Interstate 44 north of Elmer Thomas Park, is tribal trust land belonging to the Kiowa, Comanche and Apache tribes.