Beverly Little League wants to build an indoor sports facility at the city-owned Harry Ball Field that would include batting cages, an artificial turf field, a party room and possibly a sporting goods store.
League officials said they would build the building with Beverly Little League money and would donate profits from the business to the city's recreation department and to other youth sports organizations.
"We firmly believe that if it's utilized to its maximum, there's going to be an awful lot of money left over for youth sports," said Tom Bussone, the former Beverly Little League executive president who is helping with the proposal.
Little League officials have presented their idea to the Parks and Recreation Commission and have asked the city to host a public meeting on the proposal. Parks and Recreation Director Bruce Doig said a meeting will be held April 16 at a site to be determined.
Since the building would be built on city-owned land, the city would have to put the project out for bid, and Beverly Little League would have to compete with other bidders to become the developer.
The winning developer would pay the city to lease the land. Bussone and Greg Deschenes, Beverly Little League's new executive president, said their proposal would also include annual donations to the Recreation Department to help pay for the upkeep of the city's playing fields, as well as donations to other youth sports groups in the city.
"Because we're not in it for profit, our goal is to raise money for youth sports and give to the citizens of Beverly," Bussone said. "If we could bring in $50,000 to $100,000 after expenses for youth sports, or even if we fall short and net $25,000, it's still a success."
The facility would be used for all sports, not just baseball. Beverly residents and sports groups would be given reduced rates.
Bussone called the indoor sports business a "niche industry that's really taken off." The Beverly facility would compete with indoor sports complexes in Danvers, Peabody and Swampscott.
Mike Giardi, co-owner of The Hit Zone baseball/softball facility in Swampscott, said it might be difficult for another indoor sports business to succeed in these economic times.
"I'd be interested to see how they do it from a business perspective," Giardi said. "Obviously you don't want too much competition, but it's always great to see communities doing something like that if it's going to be done right."
Bussone said the facility would cost $300,000 to $500,000 to build, depending on whether it has one floor or two floors. He said Beverly Little League would borrow from a local bank to help pay for the project. He said the organization has enough money for a down payment.
The indoor sports facility would be built near the entrance to Harry Ball Field, the complex on Essex Street with two baseball diamonds that Beverly Little League volunteers helped build 15 years ago. It is considered one of the best Little League fields in the state and has often been chosen to host the state Little League tournament.
The new building would be 120-by-100 feet and would be built mostly on the site of the current parking lot at Harry Ball Field.
A new parking lot would be built on site to make up for the lost parking spaces.
Doig called the proposal "a great idea."
"Parents are spending a lot of money to take kids over to Danvers and Middleton and other places to train," he said. "If we can keep that right here in Beverly and provide a service not only to Little League but other youth organizations, it's going to be a great opportunity."
Bussone said Little League hopes to open the business by January 2010.
Staff writer Paul Leighton can be reached at 978-338-2675 or by e-mail at pleighton@salemnews.com.
Proposed sports facility
Batting cages
Artificial turf field
Concession stand
Party room
Sporting goods store
Handicapped-accessible restrooms
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