Wellington residents want former NFL player to relocate athletics facility to Village Park

A $38 million athletics complex project in Wellington proposed by a former NFL player could find a new home. If the project goes through, it would be Wellington's first public-private partnership.

Residents from the Mallet Hill and Southfield communities, who were concerned over the project's nighttime field lighting and traffic, are offering to reimburse Jon Bostic’s organization for the extra costs of relocating his planned Wellington Sports Academy to Village Park instead of the development's original location at Wellington Community Park along South Shore Boulevard.

“It's a no-brainer,” Village Council member Michael Drahos said. “If we can make this happen it would be a win-win for everybody.”

A Wellington official said the move could delay the project between six months to a year.

The village council voted on Tuesday, Jan. 16 to have Wellington Community Park remain a passive park and move the proposed athletics complex three miles east to Village Park on Pierson Road. Village assistant manager Ed De La Vega said Village Park would be a better location for Bostic's project as it will be placed next to the village's new aquatics facility.

“It would be a sports complex with the aquatics facility and the athletics complex,” De La Vega said. “It would look like one large facility but with two separate entities. That is the vision.”

What is Wellington Sports Academy?

Bostic, who played at the University of Florida, was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 2013 and is currently a free agent, approached the council in 2021 along with other standout athletes from his alma mater Palm Beach Central High School with plans to build an "all-in-one" sports complex in the village.

Bostic created Wellington Athletics LLC for the venture, which envisions building a $38 million athletic facility to house a baseball and softball academy. It would include nine basketball and volleyball courts, a multipurpose field for baseball, softball and football, five indoor batting cages, a fitness center, and a café.

If completed, the project would be Wellington's first public-private partnership.

$36 million athletic training complex at Wellington Community Park wins village's initial approval

Last year, the council approved plans to build Wellington Sports Academy in Wellington Community Park, which needed $20 million in renovations.

"That is how we got the Bostic project in the first place," Council member Michael Napoleone said. "Because we were going to invest money in that property and rebuild it."

The village planned to contribute $1.5 million for the demolition of the existing facilities and requested $33 million in bonds to fund most of the cost of the athletic complex it will own.

Wellington Athletics LLC would lease the grounds and facility from the village for 30 years, with the option of two 25-year extensions, and would be responsible for maintaining the facility and hiring personnel.

Bostic and his partners will invest $3 million to pay for the complex for the first three years, after which it is projected to start making a profit, and that money will repay the village for the bonds over 30 years.

Why do residents want to relocate Wellington Sports Academy?

Wellington's De La Vega said residents from the Mallet Hill and Southfields neighborhoods raised concern over the project's nighttime field lighting and the traffic it would bring to South Shore Boulevard.

He said a group of residents reached out to Bostic’s team last year offering to cover the costs of relocating Wellington Sports Academy to another location in the village.

“They are willing to contribute and help move the project,” De La Vega said. “But in return, they want the park to have passive uses.”

To give Bostic the funds, the residents asked the council to limit all future uses in Wellington Community Park so that it remains a passive park with fields for open play.

Why does the village staff recommend Village Park?

The village staff recommended the project be moved to Village Park, which is along Pierson Road, where Wellington is also building a new aquatics complex.

Wellington owns the land on Village Park that already has multiple fields and a building with a storage facility, De La Vega said. He added the park already has a regular number of people using the facilities and that would give Wellington Sports Academy more exposure.

"The infrastructure is already in place,” De La Vega said. "They would just build over it."

The move could delay the project between six months to a year, he said.

How would the process of relocating work?

De La Vega said the village was waiting for the residents and Bostic to settle on a sum before proceeding with relocating the Wellington Sports Academy.

Village attorney Laurie Cohen said during the Jan. 16 meeting that the money from the residents would come into the village as a donation and the funds would be used to offset the additional expenses incurred by Wellington Athletics LLC to move the facility to Village Park.

Village Manager Jim Barnes said the village staff would oversee how the funds are spent.

"His existing commitments on the bonds schedule remain his existing commitments," Barnes said of Bostic. "These are going to cover the additional costs incurred as a result of the relocation."

If the deal goes through, Wellington Athletics LLC would have to adapt its designs and construction plans to fit into Village Park and also add additional parking spaces. The village council would also have to amend its agreement with Bostic's team to reflect the new site.

What would happen to the aging Wellington Community Park?

Wellington Community Park covers 14 acres along South Shore Boulevard and hasn't been renovated since it opened over 30 years ago.

Barnes said last year a makeover would cost around $20 million.

De La Vega said the village would invest in rehabilitating the park to host some athletic programming and free, open play instead of renovating its six baseball fields and replacing the lighting system.

“It would be a much smaller scale project,” he said. “There would be some work but nowhere near what it would take us to convert the park back to what it was.”

Council believes relocating the project is a win-win

Mayor Anne Gerwig voted in favor of keeping Wellington Community Park as a passive park. She feared placing the sports complex on South Shore Boulevard would increase traffic on the road that is usually overwhelmed during the equestrian season.

"It's a win-win,” Gerwig said. “It's going to be a very successful project and I'd rather it be far away from that roadway.”

Council member John McGovern said residents have asked the council to allow more parks to be used for free, open play.

Wellington as a travel sports 'destination'? Group pushes for more courts at training complex

“This is also what people want here in place of baseball fields that are antiquated and require work,” McGovern said.

Napoleone said relocating Wellington Sports Academy would benefit residents, Bostic's venture and the village, since it wouldn't have to pay for it.

“This is a win for everyone,” Napoleone said. “Bostic will get to be on the footprint of Village Park, the residents won't have poor lighting and the village will gain a piece of property back.”

Valentina Palm covers Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, Loxahatchee and other western communities in Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post. Email her at vpalm@pbpost.com and follow her on Twitter at @ValenPalmB. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Wellington wants NFL player John Bostic to relocate athletics facility