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Sarasota County readies $65M Seventeenth Street Regional Park; athletic complex construction to begin
Summary
Sarasota County presented an updated concept and funding plan for Seventeenth Street Regional Park, saying permitting is complete, construction of an athletic complex is imminent and the project will include multipurpose turf fields, adult and youth softball facilities, and a trail link to the Legacy Trail and Nathan Benderson Park.
Sarasota County parks staff presented a refined concept and schedule for the Seventeenth Street Regional Park, reporting that final permitting is in hand and that construction of the athletic complex portion is expected to start imminently.
Director Nicole Rissler told the joint meeting the project has evolved since the 2022 concept and that the portion being built first will include four artificial‑turf multipurpose fields, a youth softball complex with a championship‑style stadium field, three adult softball diamonds with amenities, playground and support buildings, and on‑site stormwater management infrastructure. The county reported total project spending of about $65,000,000 and said funding will come from a mix of surtax dollars, park impact fees and tourist development tax receipts.
Why it matters: the park fills a county need for large athletic complexes and is sited near Bobby Jones and Nathan Benderson Park so planners emphasized regional connectivity. Rissler described a planned Legacy Trail connector that will be built in segments by both jurisdictions and private stakeholders; Friends of the Legacy Trail and other nonprofits have raised nearly $500,000 for a portion of the connection.
Key details: - Athletic complex scope: youth and adult softball, four multipurpose artificial‑turf fields, championship field, concessions and restrooms; playground and spectator shade provisions included. - Cost and funding: project cost ~ $65 million funded by surtax, park impact fees and tourist development tax dollars. - Schedule: permits secured, construction to begin before May and estimated construction timeline roughly 18 months to full opening for the first phase. - Trail connection: county, city and nonprofit partners are coordinating to connect the Legacy Trail through Bobby Jones and the Seventeenth Street Regional Park to Nathan Benderson Park.
Board members praised the outreach and the phased approach; several commissioners noted the region’s demand for tournament‑grade fields and said they expect strong usage. The county said the community‑park side of the Seventeenth Street site is not yet funded for construction and will be a later project.
Ending: County staff will begin construction of the athletic complex and continue coordination with city staff and nonprofit partners on trail connections and future community park funding.
