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New Albany approves 50‑year lease with school district for Discover site athletic campus; city and district discuss phases, funding and naming rights
Summary
Council voted unanimously to authorize a 50‑year lease with the New Albany‑Plain Local School District to redevelop the former Discover site for school athletic facilities and complementary city park space, with a five‑year initial timeline, reversion protections and discussions about naming‑rights and funding.
New Albany City Council on July 7 authorized a 50‑year lease with the New Albany‑Plain Local School District to use nearly 50 acres of the former Discover site for an athletic campus while the city adds complementary public park space.
City staff described a phased approach: phase 1 focuses on baseball and softball fields and related site improvements that staff and school officials said are funded and prioritized. The lease grants the district rights to construct and operate athletic facilities while allowing the city to retain certain areas for public use; the agreement includes a five‑year initial period for district improvements, with the district able to request extensions and the city retaining reversion or use rights if milestones are not met.
Councilors pressed for clarity about who has final approval on future improvements, dispute‑resolution steps, timelines for phases and naming rights. Staff and legal counsel said the superintendent and city manager are the primary contacts for cooperative governance and that dispute language could be revisited; the school’s naming‑rights policy is more restrictive than the city’s and both parties will coordinate on sponsorships and signage. School representatives present said phase 1 funding is in place, phase 1 baseball/softball was expected to open no later than February 2028, and further phases will depend on district funding and fundraising.
A resident, Mike Clyde, urged speedy progress so students and families could return to home games; council members said the goal is to move quickly while maintaining necessary negotiation and oversight steps. Council adopted Resolution R25‑20‑26 authorizing the manager to execute the lease, 7–0.
What happens next: staff will continue negotiations with the school district, finalize the lease documents and return to council with a city concept for public spaces at the council’s first August meeting. The school board was scheduled to consider the lease at its next board meeting.
