The City of Groves plans to lease 32 acres from the Huntsman Corp. for a nominal $1 to develop an athletic park for the community's sports teams, which have outgrown their facilities.
On Monday night, the Groves City Council authorized the city to enter a 10-year lease agreement with Huntsman to develop the land at Texas 347 and Hogaboom Road.
The complex will include three football fields, four softball fields, four tennis courts, a playground and a walking track.
"The dollar is symbolic more than anything else," City Manager D.E. Sosa said. "If I sent it to them, they'd probably just send it back."
The proposal was led by Port Neches-Groves Youth Football Association President Mark Holmes, who noticed his organization was outgrowing the auxiliary fields at Port Neches-Groves High School three years ago. More than 4,000 people attend PN-G youth football games over the course of a Saturday.
Holmes and the PNGYFA asked Huntsman Corporation about the availability of property. Huntsman suggested the land adjacent to the soccer fields that it had already donated to Gulf Coast Soccer.
Holmes, who had explored land for football fields elsewhere, felt a multi-purpose facility would be great for the community. Ground will break on March 11.
"It's going to be a nice facility. We're not going to go halfway on this," Holmes said.
The actual construction of the facilities will be a community effort, using volunteers and donated equipment, Holmes said. The city will spend a yet-to-be-determined amount for water and sewer.
Holmes and the council agreed that the influx of people could provide more customers for local businesses.
But it could also add to an existing traffic problem on the intersection of Hogaboom and Texas 347 that occurs on Saturdays at the soccer field.
Currently, the soccer field's parking lot has one entrance on Hogaboom and one exit onto 347. During a game day, the traffic can only flow in one direction - enter from Hogaboom, exit onto 347. This creates a bottleneck.
"It gets kind of crazy from the stoplight to the entrance of the soccer field," said Tricia Hernandez, 47, who lives in the neighborhood next to the field.
The council has addressed the situation by proposing to expand Hogaboom and create a dedicated right turn lane.
Gulf Coast Soccer is exploring creating a second exit on the northwest side of the property that borders 347.
"It's going to get worse before it gets better," Gulf Coast Soccer VP Mario Gamez said. "But in the end, I am focused on the safety of our kids. Another exit will eventually help traffic flow."
The football fields will not be completed until fall of 2017. The PN-G youth football league will continue to play at PN-G High School until completion.
http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/sports/article/Groves-council-approves-lease-to-build-athletic-6848994.php
On Monday night, the Groves City Council authorized the city to enter a 10-year lease agreement with Huntsman to develop the land at Texas 347 and Hogaboom Road.
The complex will include three football fields, four softball fields, four tennis courts, a playground and a walking track.
"The dollar is symbolic more than anything else," City Manager D.E. Sosa said. "If I sent it to them, they'd probably just send it back."
The proposal was led by Port Neches-Groves Youth Football Association President Mark Holmes, who noticed his organization was outgrowing the auxiliary fields at Port Neches-Groves High School three years ago. More than 4,000 people attend PN-G youth football games over the course of a Saturday.
Holmes and the PNGYFA asked Huntsman Corporation about the availability of property. Huntsman suggested the land adjacent to the soccer fields that it had already donated to Gulf Coast Soccer.
Holmes, who had explored land for football fields elsewhere, felt a multi-purpose facility would be great for the community. Ground will break on March 11.
"It's going to be a nice facility. We're not going to go halfway on this," Holmes said.
The actual construction of the facilities will be a community effort, using volunteers and donated equipment, Holmes said. The city will spend a yet-to-be-determined amount for water and sewer.
Holmes and the council agreed that the influx of people could provide more customers for local businesses.
But it could also add to an existing traffic problem on the intersection of Hogaboom and Texas 347 that occurs on Saturdays at the soccer field.
Currently, the soccer field's parking lot has one entrance on Hogaboom and one exit onto 347. During a game day, the traffic can only flow in one direction - enter from Hogaboom, exit onto 347. This creates a bottleneck.
"It gets kind of crazy from the stoplight to the entrance of the soccer field," said Tricia Hernandez, 47, who lives in the neighborhood next to the field.
The council has addressed the situation by proposing to expand Hogaboom and create a dedicated right turn lane.
Gulf Coast Soccer is exploring creating a second exit on the northwest side of the property that borders 347.
"It's going to get worse before it gets better," Gulf Coast Soccer VP Mario Gamez said. "But in the end, I am focused on the safety of our kids. Another exit will eventually help traffic flow."
The football fields will not be completed until fall of 2017. The PN-G youth football league will continue to play at PN-G High School until completion.
http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/sports/article/Groves-council-approves-lease-to-build-athletic-6848994.php
