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Morris Baseball Association pitches $300,000 field house at Eagles Park; council asks for details
Summary
Members of the Morris Baseball Association asked the City Council to approve use or sale of park land for a roughly 60-by-100-foot heated field house with batting cages, estimating about $300,000 in upfront cost and proposing private donations plus membership fees to finance it; council asked for utility maps, parking plans, cost estimates for water/sewer and options short of selling park land.
The Morris Baseball Association presented a proposal to build a heated, year-round field house at Eagles Park, saying it would include turf and three 70-foot batting cages to serve youth teams and the public.
The association’s president, Kirby Sales, said, "We've come up with a proposal of looking to build a field house out at Eagles Park," and described a roughly 60-by-100-foot wide-open building intended for practices, tournaments and public rental. Member Jared Aspis said the association had spoken with city maintenance staff and would like guidance on next steps.
Councilors pressed for details that would affect feasibility and city policy. Speaker 1 noted the project is "a slippery slope" if the city sells park land, warning that such a sale could create precedent for other organizations. Council members also questioned whether the building should include plumbing and how the utility and access needs would be met.
The association identified private donations as the likely source for the initial $300,000 cost and proposed ongoing revenue from association membership and hourly rentals. They said they were at an early stage and had a bid from Odyssey Steel for the metal building but had not completed a construction schedule or firm utility-cost estimate.
Council provided clear next steps: the association should (1) confirm property boundaries and ownership with the landowner identified as "Bill," (2) obtain a utility map and estimates for water/sewer connections (staff pointed to Rebecca and Joe Riley as contacts), (3) develop a parking and snow-removal plan, and (4) prepare more detailed cost estimates including the incremental cost to bring city water/sewer to the site. Council also suggested considering lease or long-term contract alternatives rather than an outright sale of park land.
The council took no formal action on the proposal; members agreed to reconvene on the item after the association delivers the requested technical and financial information.
