Hilliard's goal: Land Crew's training facility
$500,000 included in capital budget for relocation project
Mayor Don Schonhardt said Tuesday afternoon that he is "guardedly optimistic" that Major League
Soccer's Columbus Crew will relocate its training facility from the Village of Obetz to Hilliard.
"We're as optimistic as we can be at this point," Schonhardt said, less than 24 hours after $500,000 was included in the state capital bill to support the proposed relocation.
Schonhardt said he and Hilliard Economic Development Director David Meeks enlisted the support of 16th District State Senator Steve Stivers (R-Columbus) and 23rd District State Representative Larry Wolpert (R-Hilliard) to secure funding for the project under the state capital bill.
"I am proud to be working to secure funding for this project," Stivers said. "It will help Hilliard and the Columbus Crew create not only green space and a community asset, but jobs as well."
Stivers said he plans to work to ensure the project is funded "at least at the $500,000 level."
Schonhardt said Hilliard was not among the communities that originally answered a request for proposals for a new training facility. However, he said Crew officials approached him shortly after the city announced plans to expand its soccer facilities adjacent to Hilliard Municipal Park.
Hilliard officials and representatives of Columbus-based Skilken Development are in the process of negotiating a 2-for-1 land swap where Skilken would transfer 60 acres adjacent to Municipal Park to the city in exchange for a nearby 29-acre site. Plans call for the development of soccer fields on the 60-acre parcel while Skilken would develop a mixed use, commercial/office development on the 29-acre site. Schonhardt said that development would likely include office, medical office, lodging and restaurant uses.
In addition to the relocation of the training facilities, Schonhardt said the Crew would also bring its state-of-the-art sports medicine facilities to the site. The city would gain income tax revenue from that facility, related development and from the Crew player payroll for all days except game days at Crew Stadium in Columbus.
Schonhardt said the Crew is interested in bringing its training facilities, including eight regulation playing fields, a practice pitch and a domed indoor facility to Hilliard. He said part of the deal involves the 2,500-member Hilliard Ohio Soccer Association having access to what he called "world class" facilities.
The $500,000 was only a small portion of the $2.5-million Hilliard was seeking for the project.
Schonhardt said the city will continue to investigate other funding sources to help make the project a reality, but that no Hilliard taxpayer dollars will be involved.
"It will probably take $1-million to $1.5-million to make it work," Schonhardt said.
In addition to the $1-million domed indoor practice facility, Schonhardt said the project will also involve infrastructure improvements including a new roadway that will dissect the site.
"We were aware that the city of Hilliard had requested state capital dollars in support of a potential Crew training complex and are pleased that the state recognizes the value of investing in soccer infrastructure in central Ohio," Crew spokesman David J. Stephany said. "This is a positive development in Hilliard's plans for a soccer complex, but our process of evaluating prospective sites continues."
"We're as optimistic as we can be at this point," Schonhardt said, less than 24 hours after $500,000 was included in the state capital bill to support the proposed relocation.
Schonhardt said he and Hilliard Economic Development Director David Meeks enlisted the support of 16th District State Senator Steve Stivers (R-Columbus) and 23rd District State Representative Larry Wolpert (R-Hilliard) to secure funding for the project under the state capital bill.
"I am proud to be working to secure funding for this project," Stivers said. "It will help Hilliard and the Columbus Crew create not only green space and a community asset, but jobs as well."
Stivers said he plans to work to ensure the project is funded "at least at the $500,000 level."
Schonhardt said Hilliard was not among the communities that originally answered a request for proposals for a new training facility. However, he said Crew officials approached him shortly after the city announced plans to expand its soccer facilities adjacent to Hilliard Municipal Park.
Hilliard officials and representatives of Columbus-based Skilken Development are in the process of negotiating a 2-for-1 land swap where Skilken would transfer 60 acres adjacent to Municipal Park to the city in exchange for a nearby 29-acre site. Plans call for the development of soccer fields on the 60-acre parcel while Skilken would develop a mixed use, commercial/office development on the 29-acre site. Schonhardt said that development would likely include office, medical office, lodging and restaurant uses.
In addition to the relocation of the training facilities, Schonhardt said the Crew would also bring its state-of-the-art sports medicine facilities to the site. The city would gain income tax revenue from that facility, related development and from the Crew player payroll for all days except game days at Crew Stadium in Columbus.
Schonhardt said the Crew is interested in bringing its training facilities, including eight regulation playing fields, a practice pitch and a domed indoor facility to Hilliard. He said part of the deal involves the 2,500-member Hilliard Ohio Soccer Association having access to what he called "world class" facilities.
The $500,000 was only a small portion of the $2.5-million Hilliard was seeking for the project.
Schonhardt said the city will continue to investigate other funding sources to help make the project a reality, but that no Hilliard taxpayer dollars will be involved.
"It will probably take $1-million to $1.5-million to make it work," Schonhardt said.
In addition to the $1-million domed indoor practice facility, Schonhardt said the project will also involve infrastructure improvements including a new roadway that will dissect the site.
"We were aware that the city of Hilliard had requested state capital dollars in support of a potential Crew training complex and are pleased that the state recognizes the value of investing in soccer infrastructure in central Ohio," Crew spokesman David J. Stephany said. "This is a positive development in Hilliard's plans for a soccer complex, but our process of evaluating prospective sites continues."
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