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Newberry pushes Champions Park South planning forward; commission split on sports‑tourism vs. community rec
Summary
Parks director Brock Clark presented options for Champions Park South (≈40 acres): dedicated baseball fields, multipurpose fields for soccer/flag football/lacrosse, or a mixed approach with an indoor gym. Commissioners asked for more analysis and a follow‑up workshop; no final decision was made.
Parks director Brock Clark and city staff asked the Newberry City Commission on May 26 for directional feedback on development options for Champions Park South, a roughly 40‑acre site. Staff presented three primary options — baseball/softball diamonds, multipurpose rectangular fields for sports like soccer and flag football, or a mixed program — and described a proposed indoor gym with an outdoor stage and event capacity.
"We are looking for your feedback that we can take forward to the design team," Brock Clark said, outlining tradeoffs among field count, tournament capacity and community use. Clark and staff estimated multipurpose fields would give the greatest flexibility for multiple sports and suggested 4–8 fields are needed to host small to large tournaments; staff said 6–8 all‑purpose fields would be preferable to attract large travel tournaments, while fewer fields could still host smaller events.
Why it matters: staff said Champions Park South could be developed with either a community focus or as a sports‑tourism facility designed to bring out‑of‑county visitors and hotel stays. The city has approximately $4.5 million remaining in a Wild Spaces pot for gym/park work and a private developer on the docket pledged $3 million toward gym construction, though staff cautioned final design and funding are not yet secured.
Commission debate and concerns
Several commissioners favored multipurpose fields for flexibility. Commissioner Coleman and others noted that existing Easton fields provide two adult softball diamonds and that adding a mix could spread demand across city parks. Commissioner Farnsworth and others emphasized accommodating local citizens who pay taxes and raised concerns about dedicating too much acreage to tourism‑oriented uses at the expense of local access.
City manager Marla framed the choice as one of purpose: "Is Champions Park supposed to be sports tourism, or is it community rec?" She urged commissioners to decide the park’s mission before staff proceeds with final design choices.
Next steps: The commission did not adopt a final plan on May 26. Staff agreed to return with refined options and requested that the commission consider a follow‑up workshop or an agenda item that lays out specific field counts, layouts, lighting implications and cost estimates before any commitment to a configuration.
