Sanford Sports Complex remains on schedule for 2023 open, fields to be complete this November
Jul. 27—DICKINSON — In an announcement in June of 2021, the Dickinson State University Heritage Foundation confirmed a joint-agreement to build a $7 million new sports complex as part of a partnership between Dickinson State University, Dickinson Public Schools and Dickinson Parks and Recreation.
The announced complex grounds is projected to house more than 800 youth softball and soccer athletes in the Dickinson community and surrounding areas, as well as present opportunities for the Western Edge to host a variety of championship caliber tournaments in soccer and softball.
The Sanford Sports Complex officially moved from proposal to planning, before becoming a reality in March as initial groundwork began in earnest on Dickinson State University's campus.
The construction continues ahead with construction timeline holding for the expected 2023 grand opening. On Monday, July 25, a press release confirmed a donation to the DSU Heritage Foundation from Devon Energy, an energy company engaged in hydrocarbon exploration.
"Devon was one of the first companies to come to the forefront for us when we started the fund-raising process," Kristen Fleury, Dickinson State University assistant athletic director, said. "[They have] helped us continue those fund-raising goals."
Christina Rehkop, Devon Energy's director of community relations confirmed the donation and said that the company enjoys supporting local communities they operate in and believe in the project.
"This new sports complex is going to be a great place for the community to gather and Devon is proud to be a part of this project," Rehkop said. "This is a great example of partners coming together to make sure Dickinson is a great place to live and work."
According to the Fleury, the $7 million project continued despite late winter blizzards, heavy summer rains and overall unusual weather on the Western Edge. Despite continued efforts on the project, ongoing supply chain disruptions in 2022 have slowed timeline and constrained the project's progress.
With the groundwork phase underway, the next phase of construction will consist of laying the foundations and boundaries for the five grass soccer fields, four turf softball fields, concessions and central park that make up the entire complex.
"The project is going well. Obviously at the site there is movement and we got some concrete poured by Winn Construction for the championship field," Fleury said. "We continue to work with JE Dunn on the construction and they hope to continue the construction during the summer months... contractors have done a great job pumping the water off and continue to work every single day and move as fast as they can."
Phase three will see the building of facility structures with a projected fall of 2022 completion and a goal for the facility to be completed in its entirety, including landscaping, by spring of 2023, according to Dickinson State University.
