Create a large regional athletic field complex for economic development and to enhance Lexington’s existing facilities.
According to the 2018 Parks and Recreation Master Plan:
“The Bluegrass Sports Commission previously approached the city about a partnership for the development of a sports complex to promote economic development. They produced a feasibility study, Lexington Sports Complex Market and Feasibility Analysis, in 2015 outlining the benefits of such a facility.”
The proposed sports complex was to be at Cardinal Run North, owned by Lexington and managed by the Bluegrass Sports Commission. Similar arrangements in Elizabethtown have created a cottage industry around tournament sports, while also meeting the local needs for parks infrastructure. While traffic and access concerns regarding the Cardinal Run North complex brought progress to a halt on that site, unquestionably there is a need in the community, and the economic impacts could be significant.
The Parks Master Plan recommends a number of regional (regions of Fayette County) sports complexes to meet the needs of the residents. It also says “a potential Tournament Sports Complex should be evaluated based on its merits as a driver of economic development…A tournament complex may be advantageous to Lexington for its potential to promote tourism, benefit local businesses, and generate additional tax revenue.”