Hoover celebrates grand opening of new baseball/softball complex
Hundreds of people came out to the Hoover Metropolitan Complex on Aug. 11 for the grand opening of the new baseball/softball complex behind the Finley Center and Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.
The complex includes one natural grass field and four fields with artificial turf. All five of the fields are NCAA-regulation size but can be divided up into smaller baseball and softball fields, and can also be used for football, flag football and other sports as needed.
The grass field was completed in time for use as batting practice for the SEC Baseball Tournament in May, and the other four fields have just been completed.
Last night, they were used for a family fun night that included multiple inflatable kids activities, a Eurobungy trampoline, face painting, balloon twisters, music, clinics for baseball, softball, flag football and soccer and a softball game with Birmingham area celebrities.
The fields get put into regular action Monday night with the Hoover Parks and Recreation Department’s flag football program using two of the baseball diamonds for six flag football fields, said John Sparks, the new general manager for the Hoover Metropolitan Complex. Then comes a softball tournament later in August, he said.
Complex managers are still in the process of lining up programming for the complex, and plan to balance use by local recreation programs with tournaments that bring in teams from across the state, Southeast and nation, Sparks said. It takes a lot of coordination, but he wants to maximize use of the complex, he said.
“Our ultimate goal is not to have the fields be vacant,” Sparks said. “I don’t want to see the lights out. I want to see it used.”
The baseball and softball complex is the second phase of the expansion of the Hoover Metropolitan Complex. The first phase was the 155,000-square-foot Finley Center, which has 83,000 square feet of continuous floor space that can be divided into 11 basketball courts or 17 volleyball courts, or be used for other events such as trade shows and banquets.
The third phase, already under construction, will include five fields that can be used for football, lacrosse or soccer, 16 tennis courts, a splash pad and playground. That phase is scheduled for completion in January. Complex managers are also still working out the operational details for a new climbing center inside the Finley Center.
Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato told the crowd at last night's ribbon cutting that Brasfield & Gorrie did a wonderful job of coordinating construction for the baseball and softball complex.
“Our facility is really starting to take shape. It’s something the whole community is really excited about and looking forward to using,” Brocato said.
Hoover officials always want to make sure the city has a wonderful school system and top-notch public safety services, but “we also want to be able to provide wonderful facilities in our parks and recreation for our youth and adults to come out and enjoy the good ol’ outdoors,” the mayor said. “These are the types of things that contribute to the quality of life we have.”
Marina Gonzalez, a resident of Ross Bridge, brought her 10-year-old son, Hector Ponce, who plays baseball, to the festivities. She said she wanted to check out the fields and let him evaluate the artificial turf.
“I love it,” she said. If their team ends up playing on these fields, she guesses she won’t have to worry about scrubbing the orange baseball clay out of his baseball pants, she said. He likes the artificial turf, too, she said.
Tim Allen, a Vestavia Hills resident, brought his children out to enjoy the kids’ activities and said the complex is pretty cool.
“I’ve never seen the artificial turf infields,” he said. “How can you play baseball without dirt?” he said. “But I can understand from a maintenance standpoint, that could make it a lot easier.”
For more information about the Hoover Metropolitan Complex, go to hoovermetcomplex.com.