Phase II of Gadsden Sports Complex called 'a gem' that will create memories

The Gadsden Sports Complex reflects the dream of the city’s previous administration, the passion of its current leadership and the value of strategic partnerships.

Phase II of the project officially opened this week with a ceremonial “ribbon-cutting,” although games have already been played there.

It features rebuilt and improved baseball and softball fields, which were already in place, and an upgraded press box and central concession stand.

It follows Phase I, which opened last August and includes three soccer fields; two pavilions equipped with concession stands, seating with ceiling fans and restrooms; parking and a nature trail that features a lake. Since then, many young athletes and their families have visited the site behind Gadsden State Community College for soccer games.

Phases III (highlighted by the construction of a Champions Field for special needs athletes) and IV (additional fields and pickleball courts) are already on the drawing board. Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford signaled that a Phase V is in the works, although specifics remain under wraps for now.

“This is a gem,” Ford told the gathered crowd, which included officials from throughout Etowah County. “Every city would love to have a facility like this. The sales taxes and the quality of life this will produce sets the bar way up here.”

Among those on hand were former Mayor Sherman Guyton and his former director of economic development, Frankie Davis, who spearheaded the project that was announced in 2019 as a partnership between the city and Gadsden State, with the former providing the cash and the latter providing the land.

Davis called it “an absolutely unique and beautiful piece of property” that, using old farming terminology, had been “lying fallow” until the city approached Gadsden State.

“We felt it was a good investment,” he said, “and we went to the council for the city, for the community, for riverfront development and for the college.”

Davis said there were changes that had to be negotiated along the way, plus the price tag of $6.4 million (which came from city funds on hand) was a bit higher than anticipated.

“But the council stayed behind the project all the way,” he added. “This is something that’s not finished. I’m sure Mayor Ford will make it bigger and better than what you see now. He firmly believes in sports, and we think that’s a big part of this community.”

Davis said his memories of playing youth baseball, with his father as coach, “were some of the best” of his life. “You will create lots of memories here,” he added. “You’ll have lots of fun and good times, while moving the city forward.”

Ford said the passion for the project displayed by Guyton, Davis and the previous City Council “made it easy for us as a new council and administration to continue it along.”

Heath Williamson, the city’s director of engineering, called the project “a blast to be part of,” and praised general contractor Bob Smith Construction, electrical engineers the EE Group and civil engineering firm CDG Engineers for their contributions.

And he noted that future construction will include additional parking, at Ford’s direction, with asphalt, curbs and striping, after things got dicey when recent soccer and baseball tournaments took place simultaneously.

Ford praised the city’s Parks and Recreation workers for their efforts to ensure games would be played on that rainy weekend. adding, “None of this could happen without them.”

Council President Kent Back recalled that when his son, now 39, played soccer at Gadsden State’s old “Back 40,” the field was like a “rock quarry” to the point where teams were embarrassed for out-of-town visitors to play there.

“That won’t happen again,” Back said. “This complex will put our pride where it should be, and give our youth and children a really good place to come and play, and parents and grandparents a place to watch.”

He said the partnership with Gadsden State fits with the new city administration’s commitment to seeking unity throughout the county, describing it as “one Etowah, all together, pulling in the same direction.”

Ford echoed that: “We have a lot of partnerships going on with (Etowah County), the IDA, the mayors’ association. We’re running in one accord.”

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Second phase of Gadsden Sports Complex officially open