• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Us
  • Videos
    • Featured Video
    • Foodie Friday
    • Monthly ReCap
  • Online E-Editions
    • This Week’s E-Editions
    • 2023
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
  • Social Media
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
  • Advertising
  • Local Jobs
  • Puzzles & Games
  • Circulation Request

The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

  • Home
  • News
    • Land O’ Lakes
    • Lutz
    • Wesley Chapel/New Tampa
    • Zephyrhills/East Pasco
    • Business Digest
    • Senior Parks
    • Nature Notes
    • Featured Stories
    • Photos of the Week
    • Reasons To Smile
  • Sports
    • Land O’ Lakes
    • Lutz
    • Wesley Chapel/New Tampa
    • Zephyrhills and East Pasco
    • Check This Out
  • Education
  • Pets/Wildlife
  • Health
    • Health Events
    • Health News
  • What’s Happening
  • Sponsored Content
    • Closer Look
  • Homes
  • Obits
  • Public Notices
    • Browse Notices
    • Place Notices

Developer backs out of proposed Odessa Sportsplex

April 6, 2011 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Kyle LoJacono

The on-again, off-again Sportsplex park is off for good after the management company backed out of the deal last month, which may open the door to shift $12 million to developing a Wesley Chapel complex.

The Pasco County Commissioners agreed to use $12 million of tourism development money for the multisport complex near the entrance of Starkey Boulevard in Odessa with the California-based Sportsplex USA firm managing the site.

Paul Berghoff, Sportsplex USA chairman, sent a letter to county officials stating that his company felt there were just, “too many unresolved issues surrounding this project.”

The project has suffered several setbacks since the county agreed to work with the firm a year ago, including multiple changes in its location. Another sticking point was Berghoff did not give financial guarantees to the county in return for the $12 million investment.

The final death nail may have been when former county commissioner Michael Cox lost his bid for re-election in November. Berghoff’s letter stated Cox was one of the big reasons the initial deal was struck.

“Needless to say, losing the project’s driving force on the (board of county commissioners) last November has only magnified the uncertainties that exist that keep this project from moving forward,” Berghoff wrote.

Commissioner Pat Mulieri was not critical of Sportsplex USA pulling out of the project.

“It has been a very wishy-washy thing we’ve tried to build,” Mulieri said. “If it was my company, I’d probably be a little annoyed with the way things have gone.”

Fellow Commissioner Ted Schrader said the problem was not with the county’s handling of the deal.

“We wanted to guarantee our taxpayers wouldn’t be on the hook if something happened with the project,” Schrader said. “If we’re going to use $12 million of taxpayer money, we need to make sure there isn’t risk of it all going to waste. That’s what stopped the tennis deal a few years ago.”

The county had plans to build the Pasco National Tennis Center in Saddlebrook Resort in 2009, but the deal fell through as well.

The Sportsplex would have had among other facilities, five softball fields designed to attract out-of-county tournaments, bringing in people to spend their money in Pasco.

The Commissioners had planned a workshop on April 12 to meet with Sportsplex officials and the Porter family, the owners of Wiregrass Ranch in Wesley Chapel. The Porters have offered to build and operate a sports complex near The Shops at Wiregrass. The meeting would have discussed how the two centers would be run.

J.D. Porter first offered to build the facility in January, when he described it as something that would resemble Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, which plays host to numerous athletic events each year. He also said the two complexes would not compete with each other.

The county still plans to have the workshop with Porter on Tuesday, April 12, where more details about the proposal will be hammered out.

“We’ve got a whole bunch of things hanging out there,” said County Administrator John Gallagher. “What do we do with that $12 million for tourism? It could go to a Wiregrass site, something on the coast or other options. It’s too soon to tell.”

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email
  • Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Search

Sponsored Content

New Community Garden Arrives at Del Webb Bexley 

March 28, 2023 By Kelli Carmack

Exciting things are happening at Del Webb Bexley, the 55+ active adult residential community just off Sunlake Boulevard, … [Read More...] about New Community Garden Arrives at Del Webb Bexley 

TPA-Parkview-Myrtle

Imagine More at Mattamy Homes’ Area Communities

March 28, 2023 By Kelli Carmack

With every new home community, Mattamy Homes demonstrates their dedication to thoughtful details and meaningful value … [Read More...] about Imagine More at Mattamy Homes’ Area Communities

More Posts from this Category

What’s Happening

04/01/2023 – Bunny Hop Eggstravaganza

The Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway, will host a Bunny Hop Eggstravaganza on April 1 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be bounce houses, games, music, food trucks, and scheduled egg scrambles. The event will be at the outside football fields and basketball court. Registration is required to participate in the egg scrambles. The cost is $3 per child. Children ages 2 to 10 can register with their age division and time frame at Secure.rec1.com/FL/pasco-county-fl/catalog. For questions, call 813-929-1220. … [Read More...] about 04/01/2023 – Bunny Hop Eggstravaganza

04/01/2023 – Cacti and Things

Kessler’s Cacti and Things will host its annual Spring Plant Sale on April 1 and April 2 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine, at Bearss Grove, 14316 Lake Magdalene Blvd., in Tampa. The event features thousands of plant varieties, and an assortment of specimen and collector’s plants. For information, email . For questions and directions, call 813-264-5614. … [Read More...] about 04/01/2023 – Cacti and Things

04/01/2023 – Dade City Art Walk

The Downtown Dade City Art Walk will take place April 1 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. There will be more than 20 art locations for guests to meet the artists and shop local artwork, as well as a little Pre-Casso Exhibit for young aspiring artists. There will be an opening ceremony at 5 p.m., along with a map distribution, at Florida Cracker Lunch on Limoges. … [Read More...] about 04/01/2023 – Dade City Art Walk

04/01/2023 – Easter Bash

Hope City Church, 5513 School Road in Land O’ Lakes, will host an Easter Bash on April 1, for the whole family. Admission is free. For information, call 813-948-7555. … [Read More...] about 04/01/2023 – Easter Bash

04/01/2023 – Food Truck Festival

An International Food Truck Festival will take place on April 1 and April 2 at the Tampa Premium Outlets, 2300 Grand Cypress Drive in Lutz, with more than 70 food trucks, tents and trailers, to benefit local charities. Admission is $5. For more information, call 727-674-1464. … [Read More...] about 04/01/2023 – Food Truck Festival

04/01/2023 – Historical Association

The Zephyrhills Historical Association will meet on April 1 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the Zephyrhills Public Library, 5347 Eighth St. Participants can discover and discuss historical events, places and people of Zephyrhills and Pasco County. For information, call 813-780-0064. … [Read More...] about 04/01/2023 – Historical Association

More of What's Happening

Archives

 

 

Where to pick up The Laker and Lutz News

Copyright © 2023 Community News Publications Inc.

   
%d bloggers like this: