HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-06-30 Newspaper - A 'comlex' situation SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2018
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Joe McIntyre/staff photographer
Tim Snell of Canastota based Sgarlata Concrete removes concrete forms Friday for a baseball and softball dug-
out at the new Gutchess Sports Complex Friday in Cortlandville. �/3DIoZ01
Aicomplex
-
tuation
Sports venues can't rely on local teams for success
By NICK GRAZIANO lege and high school teams
Staff Reporter could use Homer's sports
ngraziano@cortlandstandard.net complex,it would not be
Noah Barber has made built for Homer.It would be
an annual habit:trips built for the region.
to Pennsylvania,trips ' EFRFRegional challenges
to Florida,trips anywhere but11111111,
` "There is a limit to how
here.And all for one reason: big the pie is(of regional
baseball tournaments. 1 _______ teams),"said Bahij Kashou,
The soon-to-be Cortland /; - ,•... owner of the Greater Bing-
High School senior has • t.. Iv' r hal ton Sports Complex,
played baseball in leagues - .i• ... - .1" -- and more than 20 years of
as long as he can remember, " .- experience managing a com-
with lots of travel and play- `""" plex."And it is not getting
ing many new teams, - �- ��.--. - +v any bigger."
.
He said he enjoys that. . -3 - t, - •K;:.-' The indoor facility would
But the prospect of two be made up of six fields,al-
state-of-the-art sports corn- lowing for six soccer games
plexes—an outdoor sports Joe McIntyre/staffphotographer or three softball games,or
Heavy equipment work is underway at the new
complex in Cortlandville Gutchess Sports Complex Friday in Cortlandville. a full-sized regulation 11-
and a proposed indoor corn- vs. 11-player soccer game.
plex by village of Homer square-foot indoor sports senior year,with the turf The facility allows for other
—has him excited about the complex with a synthetic fields I don't have to deal sports like lacrosse and flag
the possibility of more home turf—large enough to fit with(game)cancellations." football,too.
games. four full-size baseball fields Cortland High School Attracting regional teams
While the complexes have inside it.On the north side varsity baseball Coach Ben is difficult,Kashou said.
interest from local sports of the facility there would Albright is also excited Dozens of other facilities in
players and teams,profes- be an indoor hockey arena about the complexes.He the state are trying to do the
sionals in sports complex and to the south would be has three kids—ages 5, 8 same thing.
management say they'll a full-size baseball field,a and 11 —who participate in "You may attract some,"
need weekly activities and little league field,a football a variety of sports,and the he said."But why would
draw regional teams to to be field and a soccer/lacrosse facilities would allow this they come to you if they can
profitable. field. kids to stay locally in the go to Syracuse?"Or Utica,
The complexes Combined with a new spring to play. or Albany,or Rochester,he
Cortlandville's 100-acre dog park in the village,and Local teams would have added.
Gutchess Lumber Sports walking trail,Village Mayor access to both the Cortland- He said a sports complex
Complex on Route 13, Darren"Hal"McCabe said ville and Homer complexes, in Syracuse last year tried to
which began its first phase the project could cost be- but regional tournaments hold a lacrosse tournament
of construction in May,will tween$20 million and$30 will be their main market. and only two teams showed
have four baseball dia- million.However,the idea Cortlandville Town up.
monds,eight multi-use turf has only been proposed at Supervisor Richard Tup- The complexes need
fields for soccer,lacrosse the moment. per said the market would a selling point to attract
and football and three sand "Typically we don't play include people living within teams,he said.And it is not
volleyball courts. It is a for the first few months of a 300-mile radius of Cort- about being a nice,flashy
close to$15 million project. the season(due to Central land."Baltimore,Philly and facility.
The village of Homer is New York weather),"Barber Boston,"he said. "Soccer parents don't care
1,,,,U:,,,,t.,t,,,a.1 . zcn nnn_ said "Nnw anina intn my McCabe said while enl-