Rochester rethinking youth sports complex as cost soars

A proposed public sports complex in Rochester is getting renewed scrutiny this week after its estimated cost nearly doubled. The city council meets Monday to review details of the plan and discuss whether it should be significantly scaled back, if not scrapped altogether. And that’s got some city leaders asking if the entire project needs to be rethought.

Rochester Parks & Recreation first discussed building an indoor-outdoor sports complex that could serve both local residents and host youth baseball, softball and soccer tournaments about a decade ago.

In 2023, city officials included plans for the proposed sports complex among an array of local projects to try to gin up support for extending it’s half-cent sales tax.

The idea that the complex would host teams and their families coming from out of town for baseball, soccer and other youth sports tournaments was pitched as a boon for the local economy, as those visitors would be staying in Rochester hotels and eating in local restaurants, spending $10 to $14 million a year in town. A majority of voters liked the idea and approved the sales tax extension that year.

At that time, the city estimated the sprawling sports complex proposal would cost $65 million.

After the sales tax extension was approved, the city commissioned a second study to figure out and draft details of the plan. And instead of $65 million, they now estimate it will cost a whopping $120 million, nearly doubling the projected cost to taxpayers.

Ben Boldt of Rochester Parks & Recreation cited rising inflation for the soaring price tag, including big increases in the cost of everything from labor and land to construction materials.

But he also said that the initial estimate was done without enough detailed information.

“During that 2023 timeframe we did have a consultant team on board, you know, (with) very preliminary information, just kind of the building blocks of what an indoor and outdoor facility could look like,“ Boldt said. “They were maybe working with five to 10 percent of, you know, information or design when they were just doing a very preliminary cost estimate."

One critical piece they did not include in their preliminary estimate was where the complex would be located, and how much the property would cost.

Since then, the city has picked a site and a second consulting firm has crafted a much more detailed design plan, bringing the actual projected cost into sharper focus, creating this sticker shock of a cost tens of millions of dollars more than originally thought.

With the budget for the project still pegged at $65 million, city officials will be faced with difficult choices of either dramatically increasing funding, potentially pulling dollars away from other projects, or drastically scaling back the plans.

Some are suggesting the city move forward with only the outdoor sports fields in the complex space, and shelving the indoor space for the time being. That would still allow the city to realize the economic benefits of those bringing in youth sports tournaments.

The city is estimating that just the outdoor facility would attract 150,000 to 200,000 people to Rochester annually, with visitor spending bringing in $10 million to $14 million a year.

But scrapping or delaying the indoor facility is raising the ire of some in Rochester who thought they were voting for a sports complex they could use.

City Council president Randy Schubring is among those critical of the ballooning cost and the shifting project design. He wasn’t on the council when the project was approved, and he says the whole thing deserves more scrutiny and transparency.

“With the the costs being off, the proposal came in as just the outdoor sports tourism aspect of the of the proposal, and not the public access piece,” Schubring said, adding many of his constituents are upset about the change.

“(If) we can’t do the indoor space that included indoor pickleball, basketball courts, rock wall and running track … I think that also adds to the community sentiment that this is not for us,” Schubring said.

The City Council will meet later Monday in a study session to get more information on how the project might move forward — if at all.