A former MLB player is playing it forward, opening a new youth sports complex in the City of Roanoke.
The new facility was announced via Instagram by the City of Roanoke stating their excitement surrounding the development.
“Our town is excited to welcome an innovative and dynamic new sports and entertainment complex,” the city said. “The Play it Forward Sports Complex will bring 122 acres of sports fields, dining, and retail space to our community off of Cleveland Gibbs [Road] and Hwy 114.”
Plans for the complex include five baseball fields and three soccer fields that will be multifunctional for other sports such as football, lacrosse, softball, and more, per the complex’s website. The facility will be able to host practices and weekly tournaments that will benefit charitable interests and sponsor local scholarships for young athletes.
In addition to the various fields, the complex will feature walking trails and open green spaces along with concession stands, walkable retail shopping, and even a hotel, as reported by the Dallas Business Journal.
The Play It Forward Sports Complex is estimated to cost between $60 million to $70 million. The project is set to begin in the upcoming weeks, with the hope of opening sometime in 2025, DBJ reports.
A public-private partnership between the city of Roanoke and the developer has been in the works since 2020, according to Dave Dickson, a managing partner of 114 Development. Dickson chose Roanoke for the complex’s location due to its proximity to the highway and also for the city’s reputation for being a place of experiential development, per DBJ.
Play It Forward is headed by Dickson and Blake Beavan, who share community values and ties to the DFW area. Dickson has 28 years of experience in the world of finance and entrepreneurship and is pairing his expertise with Beavan, a former MLB player, who now runs a youth baseball team, the Dallas Tigers.
“Youth sports play a crucial role in fostering community spirit and providing children with a healthy environment to develop physically, improve overall health, and build essential life skills such as collaboration, leadership, and resilience,” Dickson explained.
North Texas continues to invest in projects that promote the value in staying active, not only for youth, but also for adults.
Among these projects is Pickleball Kingdom, which recently announced the opening of two new facilities at the Galleria Dallas and another in North Fort Worth, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.