The Portage Redevelopment Commission is mulling a proposal for a sports complex on prime property it owns west of Founders Square on Central Avenue.
The commission reviewed an ambitious master plan last week on a site formerly owned by the Portage Little League, purchased by the RDC last year for $750,000 after the league disbanded.
Depending on amenities, the indoor-outdoor sports complex would cost about $15 million, according to Matt Reardon, a real estate consultant with MRC Partners LLC of Hammond.
Suggestions for the site came from a citizen-based steering committee that met with designers to create the plan.
“No stone was left unturned when ideas were talked about, said Reardon who said they ranged from “let’s don’t do anything to let’s try to build a Taj Mahal.”
The master plan included artificial turf fields for youth baseball, softball, football and soccer. A walking trail would surround the complex.
The adjacent 65,000-square-foot indoor facility would welcome visitors into a gateway area that could include a restaurant or food vendors.
Basketball courts and a variety of other options such as pingpong, corn hole, pickleball, volleyball and a small skate park were among the suggested ideas.
“It would provide the community with a multiuse sports facility to accommodate a variety of sports open all seasons of the year that’s multigenerational,” said Jonathan Smith, a senior engineer with Indianapolis-based HWC Engineering, which developed the plan.
City officials, however, expressed concern over how the facility could be sustained and who would operate it.
“We can build it, but if we can’t staff it … I don’t know where money would come from,” said Mayor Sue Lynch who chairs the RDC.
A.J. Monroe, director of planning and community development, said the complex would represent an investment in the community. He said the city built a new police station out of a need.
“This is the time to think about the ‘want,'” he said.
Monroe estimated the complex could cost between $13 million to $18 million, but could increase up to $22 million depending on the project’s offerings.
Financial adviser Karl Cender said the RDC could handle about a $15 million bond, but a steeper project would have to be evaluated.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity, the commission is committing to downtown,” said Monroe. “There’s no need for formal action. Think about it the next 30 days.” The commission is slated to meet April 28.
Boosted by a $10 million gift from the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation, the town of Merrillville opened a 94,000-square-foot $22.7 million community center and sports complex last year.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
