One step closer
Sports Force submits design for old Griffing airport property with 10 athletic fields
ANDY OURIEL
SANDUSKY
SEP 4, 2015
ouriel@sanduskyregister.com
Developers served up a proverbial softball to local officials so all interested parties can help bring home a $24
million project.
But to create a major area economic boom, coined a grand slam deal by developers, a minor land change must
first come from both Sandusky city commissioners and Perkins Township trustees.
Earlier this week, executives at Georgia-based The Sports Force submitted a zoning request to both
governments.
The request: to transform the former Griffing Sandusky Airport site, zoned as light industrial, into a premier
youth athletics facility on Cleveland Road (U.S. 6), requiring a change to commercial recreation.
A zoning change must occur to legally construct a complex offering 10 fields suited for baseball, softball,
soccer and lacrosse.
The plan for Erie County draws parallels to many other recognized world-class facilities The Sports Force
operates and oversees nationwide.
Developers expect officials from both governments to make a decision about the zoning change by early
November so construction can begin before the year ends.
If all goes according to plan, the sports complex could debut in summer 2016.
"We are excited about this first step toward making this park a reality," said Brian Storm, The Sports Force's
president and CEO.
Storm ideally envisions teams — both in the local and surrounding areas, including from Michigan, Indiana,
Kentucky and Pennsylvania — not only making trips into Erie County but also staying at area hotels,
especially in early spring and late fall, and spending money at local businesses.
Visitors then would generate extra tax money benefiting coffers of local governments, schools and other public
institutions.
"With the wide range of first-class entertainment attractions and accommodations in this area, I have no doubt
this facility will be highly sought out by teams and leagues from across the country," Storm said. "The
collaboration with the local community leaders and business owners has been fantastic."
Shop talk
Several supporters spoke out about the project's importance:
Cedar Fair executive vice president and general counsel Duff Milkie: The addition of a state-of-the-art facility
of this caliber in our community will be a win-win for all involved. The collaboration among the business
community, visitors bureau and local, state and county governments has been vital in bringing this project to a
reality.
State Sen. Randy Gardner, R-Bowling Green: (The) Erie County community and government leaders have told
me they believe a new sports park can create new jobs, strengthen businesses and improve Erie County's
future.
Erie County commissioner Pat Shenigo: This is a big step forward (to bring) a world-class sports facility into
our area, which we believe will bring a continuing revenue stream to the Erie County citizens.
Sandusky ex officio mayor Dennis Murray Jr.: The city of Sandusky wants to be accommodating in every way
possible to allow this great investment to occur in our city which will generate, over the course of the next
several decades, tens of millions of dollars in additional tax revenues for the city.
Perkins Township trustee Tim Coleman: I'm very supportive of this. This is a national firm doing it in
conjunction with Cedar Fair. I like the idea of how they are planning out the fields and bringing more fiscal
activity into the area. Hopefully, it brings more people into the area and in the Cedar Point offseason into the
early spring and late fall.
Making sense of the dollars and cents: The proposed sports complex site in Erie County
• $23.5 million: Estimated project cost to develop empty land to create a top-notch sports complex site.
To pay for the project:
• $3.5 million: money from Cedar Fair buying the former Griffing Airport site and contributing it to the
project.
• $3 million: money from The Sports Force, the complex’s operator.
• $17 million: money from raising the countywide bed tax — also called the hotel-motel or lodging tax, it's a
fee tacked onto overnight stays — rate by 2 percent.
Note: Erie County raised the bed tax from 2 percent to 4 percent, effective in October. From the new money:
• 1 percent, or about $1.3 million a year, will go toward taking out a bond to finance this portion of the project.
• 1 percent, or about $1.3 million a year, will get deposited into a savings account to eventually fund other
tourism-related activities. It's possible the complex could be expanded, a perfectly legal use of this money.
Under state law, counties cannot use bed tax for any other purpose other than the promotion of tourism-related
activities. The additional taxes generated by this project, such as sales tax, can be used by local governments
for various purposes, including funding roads and safety services.