ORANGE CITY, Fla. – County leaders want to boost tourism revenue on the West side of Volusia County, and one way is through a proposed $39 million sports complex.
The county is eyeing the land it owns right across from Pfc. Emory L. Bennett Veterans Park in Orange City. The current proposal has a mix of over a dozen turf and natural fields that could host seven different sports, facilities, and 800 parking spots.
On Thursday, the county council voted to explore a public-private partnership for development and management of the complex.
“The adjacency to the interstate, our ownership of it, the ability to be able to develop some commercial development adjacent to this 100 acres has really made this a prime spot,” said Brad Burbaugh, the county’s community services director. “We certainly have the capital funds through our ballot-approved ECHO program to build such a facility.”
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Burbaugh said that not only have the youth and league sports on the West Side of Volusia outgrown their current facilities, but it could give a much-needed boost to the tourism economy in that area.
“Just the fields alone would generate about $14 million in additional economic activity on that west side of our county,” he said.
Volusia County isn’t the only one in the area looking to cash in on the traveling sports crowd.
City leaders in Daytona Beach told News 6 last month that they were looking to get funding for a $185 million complex on 600 acres the city owns.
Daytona Beach city leaders’ goal is to get the potential investors lined up in 2025. They said their complex, as proposed, could generate $90 million in that area’s economy annually.
Burbaugh said the county doesn’t see Daytona Beach’s potential complex as a competition.
“We’ve got the ingredients here in Volusia County to do it multiple places,” he said.
As for the next steps, the county said it will select a consultant to guide it through the process and align the public and private partners. Then, staff will draft a proposal to bring back to the council for approval.
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