The Hoover City Council is to vote on a management company for a new sports complex that will be adjacent to Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.
In an effort to keep the SEC Baseball Tournament, Hoover officials compiled a bid that included a $76 million sports complex. Spanning 124 acres, the complex will feature a series of regulation-sized baseball fields, multipurpose spaces, and an indoor events center. That development was a catalyst in Hoover’s successful case to keep the SEC in town, even as conference officials received competitive bids this spring from major Southeast cities such as Jacksonville, Memphis, Nashville, and New Orleans.
On Monday, the city is voting on whether to accept a contract from the Florida-based Sports Facilities Management. If its bid is accepted, Sports Facilities Management would be involved in the design and construction of the facility before taking over its operations and marketing.
While some city officials feel that Sports Facilities Management is Hoover’s best choice, a few other details still need to be worked out. More from the Hoover Sun:
Jason Clement, a founding partner of Sports Facilities Management who serves as the company’s chief operating officer, said that if his company is hired, it will try to put together a financial forecast within four to six weeks for city officials to review.
Councilman John Lyda wanted to know how this company’s work dealing with construction would be different from what Brasfield & Gorrie is providing as construction manager.
Hoover Executive Director Allen Pate said Brasfield & Gorrie is looking over the day-to-day operations of the construction contractors. Clement said Sports Facilities Management would provide operational expertise, letting the construction team know the operational implications of construction decisions.
Councilman Gene Smith wanted to know if Sports Facilities Management would be assuming day-to-day management of the Hoover Met, and Clement said yes. However, the Hoover Met has a reputation as a well-run facility, and at least in the beginning, things will continue business as usual as the new management learns how the Met currently operates, Clement said.
As one of the biggest pieces of the project, the 155,000 square foot events center is expected to open in May 2017. The center will host events on a year-round basis, and will feature a covered walkway to Hoover Met.