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Lawton council approves $40 million for indoor phase of youth sports complex, asks staff to find additional funding
Summary
After a lengthy presentation and debate about scale and phasing, the council voted 6–1 to approve $40 million for the indoor portion of a proposed regional youth sports complex and directed staff to pursue grants, private contributions and previously designated funds.
The Lawton City Council on Tuesday approved $40 million in funding for the indoor phase of a proposed Lawton Courts Sports Park after presentations from Eastern Sports Management and consultants who said a larger facility could generate substantial regional sports tourism dollars.
Consultants described an expanded facility that grew from an initial 85,000‑square‑foot concept to about 141,000 square feet with eight hard courts convertible for volleyball or pickleball, two indoor turf fields, and support spaces to host regional tournaments. Brian Cannon and Bridal Pan of Eastern Sports Management presented participation growth figures (from roughly 2,158 participants in 2022 to 3,379 by 2024–25 in their program) and modeled revenue and hotel‑night projections used to estimate economic impact.
Presenters and staff framed a phased approach: the $40 million request covers the indoor building; additional phases for turf fields, parking and road work were estimated separately. The McMahon Foundation has committed $3 million toward the project; other grant applications were declined or pending. During debate council members pressed staff on non‑city funding, naming rights, phasing and the risk of relying on future grant success.
Councilmember Warren moved to approve the $40 million allocation for the building and to direct staff to seek additional funding sources and report back. The motion passed 6–1. Council asked staff to return with financing options, and noted the council could re‑prioritize other CIP items to accommodate the sports project.
