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LaRoche gives congresswoman tour of baseball complex project
The LaRoche Baseball Complex currently under construction in the Fort Scott Industrial Park received a visit from its namesake Wednesday morning.
Adam LaRoche, Fort Scott High School graduate and Major League Baseball player, stopped by the site where the 500-seat ballpark is being constructed to look at progress on the project and tour the site with another visitor to Fort Scott, Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins.
Also on hand were various city officials, including City Manager Dave Martin, LaRoche's wife, Jennifer, ballpark designers and other supporters of the project. LaRoche, who plays for the Washington Nationals, has a home just outside of Fort Scott.
LaRoche said the ballpark project started about five or six years ago. The LaRoches have invested a little more than $2 million into the project, which officially began last November.
"I think what's amazing is how good everything looks," LaRoche said as he gazed around the construction site Wednesday. "It's about a month behind but we're picking up ground now, doing things like sod and grass."
Martin said he believes the ballpark will be an "awesome facility and a big draw for us."
"It's great," he said. "We're behind as we ran into some weather and things like that," he said. "And it's a community project so naturally we're going to move slower with all the involvement. And they're working with a lot of rock."
LaRoche said the goal is to have the ballpark completed in time for the Fort Scott Tigers baseball team to play their first home game of the 2015 season there.
LaRoche said the benefit of the ballpark as an asset to Fort Scott is "yet to be determined." Proponents of the ballpark have said they hope it will bolster the economy through bringing in people and revenue.
"I think it will host several tournaments and camps and things like that," he said. "I thought we'll just build it and see what happens."
LaRoche said depending on his schedule with MLB, he may be able to attend the opening of the park next spring.
"That's totally out of my control," he said. "I may be able to sneak back during the All-Star break, we'll have to see."
The ballpark will be owned by the city once it is completed. Per an interlocal agreement, the city and USD 234 will split costs for maintenance and other expenses, "50-50," Martin said. According to that agreement, the city is responsible for the site work and infrastructure, estimated to cost $50,000.
"The county and U-234 and people have just stepped up and helped out a lot," Martin said. "It will be owned by the city; it will be a city park. U-234 and the city will split expenses every year for insurance, labor and upkeep. Revenues from U-234 and the Fort Scott Recreation Commission will help offset those costs."
LaRoche and Jenkins are working together to open a turning lane into the stadium in preparation of anticipated heavy traffic due to events held at the stadium. KDOT is working with the city to create a new entrance to the area. Jenkins, Kan. Sen. Jake LaTurner and Martin have had discussions with KDOT to discuss the entrance.
"On our first approach (to the Kansas Department of Transportation), it was a 'no go'," LaRoche said, adding he thinks once KDOT sees the need for a turning lane for safety reasons, the agency will help with funding for that addition.
Martin said the industrial park has "one way in off the highway" and a road that runs along the nearby Fort Scott Community College Truck Driving School and KDOT building that doesn't meet KDOT standards. Martin said the plan is to create a turn lane and eventually there would be an entrance and exit to the industrial park.
"KDOT has offered to, once they see the traffic this ballpark will cause, partner with getting that intersection safe," Martin said. "Jenkins has championed getting KDOT to look at that again."
The baseball facility will be used primarily by the FSHS baseball team and to attract recreational programs to the community. The main playing field will be named after former FSHS baseball coach Dave Regan, who died in 2002. The complex will also include an area for a practice field or a future additional playing field.
Last week, the Bourbon County Commission voted 2 to 1 to waive permit fees and provide an in-kind contribution to the city for culvert work at the baseball complex.