The topic of a sports complex for Guthrie has been talked about for years and years with no success. Not even a spec of dirt has been moved, or for that matter even bought, but a council member is hoping a familiar person to the north could lend a helping hand and a few dollars.
Example of a sports complex in Virginia.
The Guthrie City Council held a workshop prior to their council meeting on Tuesday evening and discussed the idea of a sports complex something that was done in 1999 and in 2009. In both those years, grant money did not come through for the project and was deemed “great idea, wrong time.”
Councilwoman Patty Hazlewood led the discussion about the “Field of Dreams” that would not only incorporate baseball and softball fields, but volleyball courts and later perhaps a community center that would involve basketball courts and an aquatic center.
The land that has been looked at for the complex is called the English property and is located on Pine street south of University. It is set to be auctioned off at some point.
The discussion also brought in the Oklahoma Sports Museum currently located in downtown Guthrie in the 300 block of west Oklahoma Ave. The museum’s five-year contract is up in August 2014 with the Jim Thorpe Association and could possibly be leaving Guthrie. The Thorpe Association took over the Hall of Fame and Warren Spahn award and are now held in Oklahoma City.
If granted permission, Richard Hendricks, founder of the Hall of Fame, and Hazlewood would like to see the sports museum placed in the middle of the sports complex to assure not only for the museum to stay in Guthrie, but help raise money for the day-to-day operations.
An estimated cost in 2009 for a complex, without a building to hold a museum, came in at an estimate of eight to 12 million dollars. Obviously, the City of Guthrie does not have the funds to currently fit the bill for the cost, but Hazlewood suggests the council put together a committee to draw up the plans and present it to oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens to perhaps fund the project.
Not sure if Mr. Pickens has any ties to Guthrie, or would be interested handing out any of his coin, but Hazlewood believes there is a shot.
“If we put this package together properly, I think there is a good chance he (Pickens) might fund it for us. He’s that kind of person,” Hazlewood said at the workshop table.
No doubt Pickens has shown generous donations not only to his alma mater Oklahoma State, but to other organizations as well. Would he do it for Guthrie? Not sure. Suppose it never hurts to ask. Although, many assume he has plenty of requests sent in his direction on a daily basis.
Does the project completely go away if the sports museum is not involved? Don’t believe so, but this is an effort on Hazlewood and Hendricks behalf to help save the museum from perhaps completely leaving Guthrie.
The City of Guthrie continues to battle in upgrading day-to-day living in the town with sewer projects and roads to name a few in the current hard economic times. Numerous of citizens have also shown interest over the years, but interest and funding are two completely separate items. Would the residents of Guthrie be interested in raising funds for the complex? History says the odds are against it.
If the complex were to be funded somehow, the city is still looking at an added cost of running the complex and all that goes with running such a thing. No doubt the complex would bring people and money into the city. Not to mention a place for children to play.
The topic of the sports complex has a long way to go and many applaud Hazlewood and Hendricks for bringing the topic again to the surface. There are several on board, including the Mayor, city council members and citizens to build the complex and put a big shine on the fields in Guthrie.
Perhaps, T. Boone is the answer? If not, it’s back to the drawing boards.
Vince Gill was just in town…. might not hurt to ask he and Amy too.
In case Patty Hazlewood has been living under a rock for the last few months, T Boone is not nearly as flush as he was when he originally made the pledge to OSU. His hedge fund has taken a beating recently and subsequently, the athletic village is at a standstill. While he isn’t completely broke, if he can’t honor his commitment to the university, he certainly wouldn’t be able to pony up the necessary capital for a project of this nature
Why would a single man commit 12 million dollars to a city of people that won’t commit 12 dollars per person? We are looking for a hand out, when we need to get down in the dirt and get our hands dirty.
@Wendy – Your math is a little off, but I agree with your reasoning! More like about $118 per person to fund a $12M project plus what ever would need to be tacked on for the Sports Museum. Guthrie has the space and need, the biggest problem is getting it passed. Previous voting patterns suggest that we are a community that will live with the run down look to save a penny of tax…. much less $118 per person. I think that is why some have given up on getting public support and resorted to begging for a leg up! The few are trying to pull the many to the next level…..
A little further research on Mr. Pickens might be in order. He is generous. But there are paybacks,. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-10-04/if-only-t-dot-boone-pickens-had-died
If guthrie doesn’t even mow our baseball fields in the summer on a regular bases I’m not sure if anyone would want to commit to such a thing.
I applaud Ms. Hazelwood and Mr. Hendricks for their efforts. I would surely fork up my $118.00 to share in something as historically significant as a Sports Complex for our “CHILDREN”. For anyone to write something negitive about them trying to better our community is very sad. As a matter of fact I believe I can do more then $118.00. Lets hit a Homerun on this one!!!!!
My comment is to PLEAD with my hometown DO NOT take a red cent from Pickens- please follow Mr. Reiley’s suggestion, just go to Google and see what this man is doing in TX with water rights- he is a globalist PIG, and there will be a price for anything the government or well-connected former politicians offer you.