A $22 million ball field project will mean a lot more visitors to Lycoming County, a top local economic development official says.
Jason Fink, the president of the Lycoming County Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber’s 28-acre baseball and softball complex is expected to attract between 300,000 to 400,000 tourists and others after three years.
“We are aware there is a big travel ball market out there. We thought there would be a good possibility given the fact we’re home to Little League Baseball with an interest in seeing teams come here to play,” Fink said.
Often, baseball and softball teams travel to play other teams away from home, which can mean they need places to stay and eat.
The complex will have seven fields. Pennsylvania College of Technology’s baseball and softball teams will use one. That field will have outfield fences up to 400 feet away.
Youth teams will use the other six fields, which will have fences up to 220 feet away.
The complex will be constructed on Susquehanna Supply Co.’s former property at 2 Rose St., next to Elm Park in Williamsport. The chamber bought the property after the company closed in 2019. Construction is planned to begin in June, Fink said. The Department of Environmental Protection helped make sure the property was clean.
“It will be a great showcase to be able to show a Brownfield being turned into a playing field. This is a great opportunity for us to be able to use that to bring in other activities like this,” Fink said.
The Chamber of Commerce received over $5 million from various state grant programs. The programs include the Department of Community and Economic Development’s blight remediation program and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’ brownfield program.
The chamber started working on the project in 2018. It stalled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rising expenses slowed the progress further.
The Lycoming County Visitor’s Bureau is borrowing money to fund the project. The county commissioners and city council donated $1 million each in American Rescue Plan Act funds (ARPA). The chamber of commerce donated another $1 million.
Fink said the chamber is soliciting bids naming rights for fields and other things related to it.
Members of the public who want to contribute should contact the chamber at 570-326-1971 or chamber@williamsport.org.
