Zoning in or Out? Questions Mount Over Sports Complex Plan
While the Davidson County Commissioners are moving forward with a $65 million sports complex, many citizens continue to voice their approval and disapproval of the project. One point of contention has been the use of the property if the sports complex project is not built.
During several county commissioner meetings, board chairman Todd Yates has stated that if the sports complex did not go through, the property could become a large housing development, which would also impact residents in the area.
He said at least the sport complex, which county leadership has been calling the Southmont Community Center, would provide recreational opportunities for the citizens, as well as creating economic development opportunities for new businesses in the area.
The 350-acre project, to be located off N.C. Highway 8 and Owens Road, includes a 52,000 square foot community recreation center, an aquatics center,10 soccer fields, eight baseball fields, tennis courts, pickleball courts, a five-acre water park, a camping area/RV park and parking lots.
The county commissioners voted in March to approve the $65 million project, with commissioners Fred McClure, Matt Mizell and Tripp Kester voting against the motion stating the need for more public input.
Last week, Commissioner Mizell posted a letter on his social media page saying while he supports recreation, youth sports and community health, he does not believe the county should move forward with the sports complex at its current scale and cost.
He said there are other needs in the county, such as school renovations, support for teachers, more public safety personnel, building a new jail and improving public libraries. He said there also is a need to address residential growth, and that there are other uses for that property.
“The notion that we must choose between the current sportsplex concept or brace ourselves for a massive housing development presents a false dilemma. There are other options. Reassessing the scale and scope is a choice. Conservation is a choice – not every acre we own has to be paved over or built up.”
He said his comments were not anything against his fellow commissioners' beliefs, nor was it in opposition towards youth sports and recreation. He said he just feels this project, at its current scale, will cause undue disruption to the community.
“While growth and recreational development can bring benefits, they must be weighed carefully against the impact on residents. Southmont is a small, close-knit area, and a project of this scale could significantly alter its character.”
The property in question is zoned as residential agriculture/single family residential and according to Lee Crooks, director of Davidson County Planning and Zoning Department, the sportsplex can still be built under the current zoning classifications.
The county purchased the property from the Frank family for $3.5 million in 2024. Davidson County Manager Casey Smith confirmed if the sports complex project does not happen, the property can be sold to anyone, including developers.
Members of the community have questioned that there are only two options for the property – a sports complex or a large housing development. In a letter to the editor submitted to Davidson Local, David Garvin said although it wouldn’t be the best option, he would prefer a housing development over a sports complex of this size.
“While I wouldn't exactly want another 600 houses in our backyard, at least homeowners usually are invested in and care about their neighborhood,” said Garvin. “They don't throw trash out their front door onto the lawn, they mow and care for their yards, and they provide a tax base for the county. Also, they won't all leave their houses within an hour of each other and clog up the roads as much as fans leaving a high school game.”
During recent county commissioner meetings, several citizens said the area did not have the infrastructure for a project of this scale, and it would cause traffic congestion, noise and light pollution. Some also stated there were already issues with response time for EMS, firefighters and law enforcement, and the sports complex would only make it worse.
On June 23, the county commissioners approved spending $4.1 million on the design phase for the facility. The design phase is estimated to take between six to eight months, with construction lasting approximately one year. The anticipated opening of the park is set for summer of 2027.
