There are big changes coming to the Newcastle Sports Complex, according to a discussion at the May City Council meeting.
At the same time, there may need to be changes made to improve efficiency, according to at least one Council member During the discussion about the Newcastle Sports Complex Master Plan, Council member Tommy Clay said, “Right now our baseball and softball leagues here are abysmal. I think that NASA (Newcastle All Sports Association) has unfortunately proved inefficient to do what they need to do, and what they promised to do. The people who made those promises are no longer around. I think we need to start looking for a full-time person. If it is done right, it will pay that salary.”
Clay said it is something for the Council to ponder.
“If you have a good league coordinator who does everything and maintains the fields — done right it can produce,” he said.
Clay said the league has never been able to have consistent leadership.
Last year the City was awarded a $1.3 million grant. It used those funds to purchase 24 acres abutting the current facility from property owner William R. Owen. The immediate concern was to provide additional parking to get vehicles off of State Highway 130.
Now underway and in the plans are additional parking, bathrooms, a sewer system, additional baseball, softball and soccer fields.
CORRECTION:
In this story, we said “the City was awarded a $1.3 million grant and it used those funds to purchase 24 acres abutting the current facility from property owner William R. Owen. The immediate concern was to provide additional parking to get vehicles off of State Highway 130.”
We should have said the $1.3 million grant is being used for paved parking, paved entrance, paved exit, drainage improvements, new restrooms, lagoon upgrades, and ADA accessibility to all ballfields and concessions.
We regret any inconvenience this error may have caused.
The land was purchased from the proceeds of a $950,000 loan through The First National Bank & Trust Company.
Assistant City Manager Jeannette McNally said the $1.3 million grant was approved in October 2022, but final approval has been delayed on a federal level. She also said the Newcastle Sports Complex master plan will take many years to fund and construct.
