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SportsPlex operating costs and overflow parking flagged as ongoing budget items
Summary
City staff said the SportsPlex will need continued operating subsidies while revenues mature and that a paved 340‑stall overflow lot would cost roughly $1.5 million.
City Manager Brenda Jensen and finance staff reviewed the SportsPlex’s operating performance and the need for additional parking as part of the FY26 budget discussion.
Jensen said the SportsPlex opened in April of the current year and the first incomplete fiscal year required a sizable operating subsidy; staff estimate the SportsPlex will need roughly $1.6 million in operating resources for a full fiscal year. Jensen said the facility required a subsidy of roughly $600,000 this year from Keno (keynote) revenue and that preliminary FY26 modeling shows an estimated subsidy of about $450,000 will still be required unless revenues from tournaments, concessions, sponsorships and visitor support grow more than current projections.
Parking: Jensen presented a plan for an overflow parking area on the south side of Eunice Drive that would add up to roughly 340 vehicle stalls plus bus stalls. The paved option is estimated at about $1.5 million; a lower-cost crushed‑concrete/gravel option was estimated at about $625,000 but staff warned that an unpaved solution would not meet winter‑season demand or maintenance expectations. Jensen said staff prefer a paved solution to ensure usable capacity year‑round.
Funding and revenues: Jensen said the SportsPlex’s operations are projected to earn tournament and user revenues but also rely on visitor‑related support: the visitors bureau has committed approximately $300,000 per year for a 20‑year term and the facility currently relies on other special revenues (Keno and sponsorships) to narrow the operating gap. Jensen said staff will continue to refine revenue expectations as the facility accumulates more operational history.
Why it matters: The SportsPlex is a large, visible new city asset with annual operating costs that affect the general fund. How the council allocates ongoing subsidy (and whether it pursues additional visitor-tax or occupancy-tax strategies for operating support) will affect the general fund and other capital projects.
Ending
Staff said they will return with updated operating and revenue figures as more event and sponsorship data become available and asked the council to consider parking priorities and whether to fund a paved overflow lot in the short term.
