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Croatian Soccer Club updates Franklin commission on turf project; underground detention drives cost concerns
Summary
Croatian Soccer Club told the Tourism Commission it has completed permanent lights and clubhouse work as part of phase 1, is planning turf installation but faces high costs for underground water detention that could be half the project price; the club asked the city to hold committed funds in escrow until final costs are confirmed.
Representatives of the Croatian Soccer Club updated the Franklin Tourism Commission on a multi-phase plan to install turf and other improvements at Croatian Park and asked that the commission hold committed funds in escrow until the club finalizes a budget and contracts.
A club representative said phase 1 is nearly complete: permanent lighting on the southern parcel and updates to the clubhouse are finished or close to completion. The club has engaged Salzer Warrens (a construction management firm) to finalize the turf budget and perform value-engineering work.
"We ask that you hold those funds in escrow under your piece until we're at a point where we can say that this is at a financial cost that makes sense for us," the club representative said, describing the request for the commission to retain the funds until excavation and design choices are settled.
The club reported that meeting city and DNR stormwater requirements has driven the largest single cost: the underground detention required beneath the turf. The representative said excavation and stone backfill for the detention system — not just piping — are expensive and could amount to roughly half the total project cost, prompting the club to consider an above-ground detention pond as an alternative to reduce expense.
Club leaders told the commission they have completed two of four park phases (lighting and clubhouse) and are negotiating turf contracts. The club also reported strong growth: it said the youth program had grown from about 430 players to more than 820 players (excluding the youngest “micros”) and that the new turf would support tournaments and league play that could increase overnight stays.
Commission members asked for additional operational details, including parking capacity and a zip-code analysis of participants. The club representative said the club had run a zip-code analysis recently and offered to provide that data to the commission. The commission did not vote to release funds at the meeting; officials said the city would keep the committed support available while the club finalizes the final cost estimate.
The commission and the club discussed site constraints — abutting properties include a correctional facility to the east and adjacent developments to the south and north — and possible staged approaches to reduce near-term spending. The club reiterated readiness to convene additional updates and invited the commission to a future groundbreaking when contracts are executed.
