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Regional Athletic Complex reports 94,000 users, $12 million estimated economic impact; field conversion planned for 2027
Summary
The CARPFD heard that the Regional Athletic Complex saw roughly 94,000 users in 2025 and an estimated $12 million economic impact from weekend tournaments; staff detailed planned upgrades including converting Field 2 to synthetic turf, additional fencing and bleachers, drainage/sod repairs, Wi‑Fi upgrades, and multi-week shutdowns in 2027 for major work.
The Recreation Manager for the City of Lacey presented the annual report for the Regional Athletic Complex to the CARPFD board on June 15, saying the facility recorded heavy, year-round use with over 94,000 participants and more than 81 unique sports groups renting fields last year.
The manager described the complex as active 365 days a year, used for tournaments, leagues and community events, and said a weekend-only estimate of economic impact provided by a partner organization placed that 2025 impact at more than $12 million.
Planned improvements: staff outlined a set of near-term, in-house upgrades intended to improve playability and spectator experience: converting Field 2 to synthetic turf with lights (work that will require closing Fields 1 and 2 for weeks during construction), finishing fencing on select fields to limit balls entering parking areas, installing additional bleachers, upgrading porous concrete areas to asphalt, and improving Wi‑Fi infrastructure. Sand-based sections on fields 2–4 will be replaced with a thicker sod product in a short, staged operation intended to minimize downtime.
Funding and operations: board members asked whether any of the work relied on state grant performance periods; staff said most repairs are funded from the PFD budget and internal requests but staff will check grant timelines and compliance when applicable. “We’ve got a lot of people that just come to the complex…so it’s been growing every year,” the manager said, noting the maintenance team’s role in keeping facilities in strong condition.
Schedule impact: staff warned that portions of the complex would be shut down for a month to two months during some 2027 projects and that the board and scheduling partners would be notified in advance to minimize disruption to events.
Next steps: staff will pursue budget requests and schedule work to limit impact on tournaments and leagues. The board thanked staff and grounds crews for operations and maintenance that support regional events.
Source: Presentation and Q&A with the City of Lacey recreation manager to the CARPFD board on June 15, 2026.
