By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press
The Copperas Cove Parks & Recreation Department is inviting the community to stop by the Copperas Cove Civic Center on Tuesday, Feb. 24, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. for a Community Vision Open House.
This is a come-and-go meeting for community members, including parks and rec coaches, families, and athletes to learn more about a proposed sports complex for the city.
On Tuesday, attendees will be able to review preliminary concepts and information, as well as share input and ideas for what the community would like to see in a future sports complex.
The City of Copperas Cove has included the construction of a roughly $28 million sports complex as part of the city's capital improvement plan.
Back in March 2024, the Copperas Cove city council directed the City's administration to conduct a feasibility study for the proposed sports complex.
Also at that time, it was discussed that financing for the sports complex would have to be approved by Copperas Cove voters via an election and paid for via the issuance of general obligation bonds.
According to the capital improvement plan, this proposed complex would be located at Ogletree Gap Park and include playing fields as well as an indoor natatorium.
An estimated $2 million would fund design and $26 million for construction of the facility.
It’s not known what the estimated cost could be at current or future pricing compared to the 2024 estimates.
City Manager Ryan Haverlah said at the time that the sports complex and the golf course’s pro shop reconstruction are dependent on them having a true business purpose for being constructed.
“If we were just wanting to add additional sports fields, we don't need a $28 million complex. We can go out, move dirt around ourselves, and try to build a complex,” Haverlah said. “It’ll take longer, it won't be as professional, and it will not allow us the opportunity to bring in revenue which are primarily through tournaments. Mr. (Jeff) Stoddard and I've had a number of conversations about that. He understands that with those two projects, from my perspective, in order to ask council and then subsequently to ask our voters to approve such projects, we need to be able to establish the case.
“As Mr. Kimball said, feasibly from an economic standpoint, that they can be self-sufficient once they're constructed and pay back their debt and continue to generate revenue for the city, not just in those particular areas but other ancillary areas such as sales tax, hotel occupancy tax, growing the economic base in our community as well.”
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.