FARMINGTON -- Farmington Sports Complex is ready to start its 2015 season with all new infields, a new batting cage and an updated policy for organizations to rent the ball park for tournaments and games.
Farmington also is starting its fourth season with the sports complex paid in full. The city made its final payment on the ballpark bond issue in early December 2014. A 1-cent sales tax for the ballpark expired Jan. 1, reducing Farmington's local sales tax from 3 percent to 2 percent.
The city updated its rental policy with a goal to recoup more of its cost for tournaments and field use, according to Jenna Swain, ballpark facilities manager/program coordinator.
The city's costs for tournaments include lighting, water, field-prep materials and salaries for part-time employees to help out over a weekend.
"Our charges were not high enough to recoup the basic necessities," said Melissa McCarville, city business manager.
For 2013, the city's operational expenses for the ballpark (not including salaries or major capital improvement projects) were $87,381 and for 2014, the city spent almost $90,000 to operate the ballpark. These expenses include fuel, materials, repair and maintenance, new equipment and utilities.
For 2012 and 2013, the city received about $58,000 each year in revenue from the complex. This includes fees to rent the park and registration fees to play summer league ball. For 2014, revenue declined almost $9,000 to $49,675.
Swain attributed some of the decline in revenue in 2014 to inclement weather. Several tournaments were canceled or shortened due to weather. Some recreational league games also were canceled and not made up due to weather.
McCarville pointed out city officials realized the ballpark would not pay for itself but said the new rental policy will help offset some expenses.
"The sports complex is to provide recreation activity for our young people and adults," McCarville said.
Previously, organizations paid $85 per day to rent a field with lights and $70 per day for a field without lights.
The new rental policy sets one flat fee, $100 per field per day, to rent the complex for a baseball or softball tournament and sets a separate fee to rent a field by the hour: $50 per hour for a lined field and $30 per hour for an unlined field, up to a maximum of six hours.
All weekends available for tournaments are filled, Swain said. She has scheduled 10 tournaments, including one called Farmington Frenzy hosted by the city May 29-June 1. Farmington tried to host a tournament last year but had to cancel due to weather.
Other groups that have reserved the park for tournaments this year are Farmington basketball boosters (two tournaments), Farmington football boosters, Farmington High School baseball and Project Graduation 2016. Tournaments start the first weekend of spring break and run through early June. Swain said she reserves the remainder of June for make-up games, summer league tournaments and All-Stars.
McCarville said she is glad school organizations are using the ballpark for fundraisers.
"That's what we want," McCarville said. "We want the groups to take advantage of the fields."
Registration to play Farmington summer ball ended Friday and numbers are down from last year. Swain said 473 kids signed up, compared to about 530 boys and girls in 2014.
Improvements to the ballpark in 2014 include replacing the infields for a total cost of $122,895, a new batting cage for $13,868 and a new infield groomer machine for $18,541.
Farmington City Council voted in September 2014, to replace all six infields because of continuous problems with rock and pea gravel in the dirt. Brandon Murray with River City Athletic Fields said the new infields are screened, clay dirt, topped with a conditioner that has a drying agent in it.
"This will be a heck of a lot better playing surface," Murray said, adding the fields will play "a lot truer."
The new batting cage replaced one destroyed by high winds. It has two separate batting lanes, a concrete pad covered by turf and should withstand most weather conditions. The new groomer with attachments will be used to drag and prep fields in place of using an ATV, Swain said.
General News on 02/25/2015