Construction Begins On Tampa Sports Complex

Hillsborough County commissioners broke ground on Monday, Nov. 30, for a $4.6 million, state-of-the-art recreational facility to be built in Progress Village at 5855 S. 78th St. in Tampa.

Funded by a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and impact fees from Parks Central Zone, the new 78th Street (Progress Village) Sports Complex is scheduled to be completed in August 2010.

The Progress Village neighborhood has outgrown its current recreational sites, says Marcia Mejia, community relations coordinator for Hillsborough County.

The complex is being built on 120 acres and will include four baseball fields, batting cages and two football fields. The facility will also include bleachers, press box, a meeting room, sports field lighting system, landscaping and irrigation and other improvements. It is expected that the centralized space will serve as the primary sports facility for various leagues in the area and play host to multiple games simultaneously.

“It’s an exciting project because it’s a large sports complex that can really bring the community together,” says Mejia.

In addition to county commissioners, member athletes from the community’s sports league were present for the groundbreaking ceremony.

Writer: Nancy Vaughn