FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 1, 2020
Contact: Connie Edmonston
Parks and Recreation Director
479-444-3471
cedmonston@fayetteville-ar.gov
Chambers Baseball Complex Milestone Celebration and Ribbon Cutting
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.— The City is pleased to announce the completion of work to install synthetic turf on four existing infields at Chambers Baseball Complex at Kessler Mountain Regional Sports Complex. The synthetic turf will increase the usability of the fields, reducing rainouts and daily maintenance while providing more consistent playability for participants. This will enhance league play and help draw tournaments to boost the local economy.
On July 6, 2020 Mayor Jordan will join Fayetteville Youth Baseball representatives and City of Fayetteville Parks and Recreation staff for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony at Chambers Baseball Complex. The ceremony will celebrate the newly named complex and the completion of the synthetic turf infields. Mayor Jordan also will throw out the ceremonial first pitch to officially begin the new season of Fayetteville Youth Baseball. The ceremony will begin at 5:45 p.m., with the first pitch being thrown at approximately 6 p.m.
This ceremony will be conducted with COVID-19 safety protocols and restrictions in place. The ceremony will be limited to participants of that day’s 6 p.m. games at Chambers Baseball Complex, which is currently home to youth baseball ages 9 through twelve. The Mayor extends his appreciation to Fayetteville Youth Baseball for working within state and local guidelines to ensure the safety of youth baseball participants and parents during this unprecedented season.
In 2010, Chambers Bank graciously donated over 200 acres near Kessler Mountain to the City and citizens of Fayetteville to build a regional park for youth sports and provide other amenities for our citizens and residents. In 2014, Chambers Bank sold the City an additional 328 acres to vastly enlarge Kessler Mountain Regional Park at a very generous price of less than $10,000 per acre and in 2019 the City Council accepted Chambers Bank’s further donation of 47.75 acres worth of banked parkland credits valued at $2,250,457. On May 19, 2020, in honor of these many generous donations, the existing baseball complex at Kessler Mountain Regional Park was named “Chambers Baseball Complex.”
On April 9, 2019, the citizens of Fayetteville voted to authorize a bond issue that included $7,870,000 for improvements to the baseball facilities at Kessler Park, including synthetic turf on the existing infields. In addition, this project will include four additional lighted baseball fields with synthetic turf infields, associated parking, batting cages, and a concession and restroom facility. The new four-field complex is currently in the final stages of design by Garver Engineering and is scheduled to go to bid for construction this fall.
To learn more about the Kessler Mountain Regional Park Development bond project, please go to http://www.fayetteville-ar.gov/1976/Kessler-Mountain-Regional-Park. Additional information about the City’s 2019 Bond Park Projects is available at http://www.fayetteville-ar.gov/3695/Park-Improvement-Projects.
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