Park improvements can spur controversy without buy-in from the public
Youth-sports fields generally offer positive benefits for communities. Most notably, they encourage children’s participation in team sports, where they can establish healthy habits, hone their skills, and fortify social bonds.
And the advantages extend beyond sports teams.
Making An Investment
In Fairhope, Ala., where a new sports complex is set to debut in the next two to three years, youth fields can spur economic growth via tourism.
“[It] brings dollars to your community, whether it’s through sales tax or lodging tax,” Mayor Sherry Sullivan says.
To date, Fairhope has struggled to meet the growing demand for youth sports.
“We do not have the field space currently for any kind of sports tourism, other than for soccer,” Sullivan says. She estimates that registrations for baseball and softball teams are up 40 percent year-to-date. But those players will have to travel to nearby communities to compete. She sees the complex—near County Roads 13 and 32—as a pathway to offering more recreational opportunities at home and anticipates a positive response from residents.
“Especially with the pandemic, they love to see you making an investment back in your parks,” she says. “The pushback is that we’re not moving fast enough.”
