Norman approves purchase of Griffin Park soccer complex from state

The Norman City Council voted unanimously July 22 to buy Griffin Park, the city’s long‑leased soccer complex north of Griffin Hospital, under an interlocal agreement with the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse. The purchase price in the agreement is $3,306,811.48, staff said, with prior rental payments credited against that amount.

Kim Kaufman, the city’s budget manager, told the council the city has leased the park from the state since 1983 and that the land acquisition was included in the 2015 Norman Forward capital program. Kaufman said the December 2024 appraisal produced the per‑acre price used in the interlocal agreement and that rental payments the city has made—about $500,000—will reduce the cash due at closing to roughly $2.8 million. She said the department’s trust has already approved the sale and staff anticipate closing within about 30 days.

The purchase will be financed using Norman Forward fund balance and transfers from the Norman Forward and capital project funds as described in the staff report. Kaufman noted that a 2019 lease included a right of first refusal and provisions that anticipated a future acquisition; the lease also moved rent from $1 a year to $80,000 a year with those payments intended to offset an eventual purchase price.

During discussion Council Member Nash asked whether the parcel being purchased was essentially the soccer fields and whether the site is fully occupied; Kaufman and other staff confirmed the agreement covers the soccer park parcel and that the city has made significant investments in the fields. Nash said keeping the fields under city control preserves an asset that draws visitors and local spending for tournaments and regular play. Council Member Grant thanked staff for the work to complete a long‑running acquisition process.

Public commenters were mostly supportive but urged fiscal prudence. Dr. John Skammehorn, a Ward 1 resident and retired chemical engineer, said, “Being a skin‑flint is not a bad thing when spending taxpayer money,” and asked the council to treat the purchase carefully. Several other residents and users of the park praised the acquisition as protecting community recreation assets. Some nearby residents raised separate concerns about the adjacent Griffin Hospital parcel and asked for continued outreach from the city as future plans are developed.

The motion to approve the interlocal agreement passed unanimously. Mayor Holman noted the acquisition was part of the Norman Forward program voters approved in 2015 and said the park had long community value: “Griffin Park, I think, means a lot to a lot of people,” he said.

Next steps in the staff presentation and on the interlocal agreement include completing the closing process, recording the deed, and incorporating the property into the city’s parks inventory. Kaufman said staff will proceed toward closing after the council’s approval.