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Marion County OKs $300,000 grant to Salem Baseball Club for turf and lights at Willamette
Summary
The board approved a $300,000 emergent economic opportunity agreement from county economic development funds to support synthetic turf and lighting at Willamette University fields that will be available to Salem Keizer School District, youth groups and tournaments.
Marion County commissioners approved a $300,000 emergent economic opportunity grant from county economic development lottery funds to support synthetic turf and lighting upgrades at Willamette University’s baseball and softball fields.
Kelly Wiese, Marion County economic development program manager, told the board the estimated total project cost in the application is $8,080,000 and that the applicant had raised funds to date. According to the application text read at the meeting, the organization had raised about $660,000. Wiese described standard reporting and marketing requirements tied to the county grant.
Luke Emanuel, owner of the Salem Baseball Club, told commissioners the project is intended to expand year-round field availability and make the Willamette fields available to the Salem Keizer School District under a contractual scheduling agreement. “We have been able to get Willamette to contractually agree to make these fields available every day of the week to the Salem Keizer School District,” Emanuel said.
Commissioners asked about transportation and equitable access for more distant schools; Emanuel said the project could reduce travel to distant turf fields and could enable local tournaments and spring-break events to remain in Salem. The board moved and approved the $300,000 allocation with a term of one year from execution (with the option for extension under program rules).
