Sports Complex Offers Great Opportunity

The Jeffersonville Parks Department has announced that it is planning to construct the above sports complex.  It is expected to be complete in August of next year.  Several soccer fields and football fields will be on the grounds as well as an indoor facility. 

As luck would have it, I recently had the opportunity to see first hand a multi-purpose/multi-court facility.  It had drawn several traveling teams from around the region for that weekend.  The thought that such an event could take place in Jeffersonville is a very attractive one.  Just think of 8 soccer teams descending on Jeffersonville for a weekend.  If each team brings 15 families of four people, that's nearly 500 hundred people eating, shopping and sleeping in Jeffersonville.  Think about what that could do for local restaurants and hotels. 

And while some people have worried about the location, let me say it's fine.  The complex that I had a chance to visit was in a similar location off of the interstate.  And there were no hotels off of that exit either.  Yet they were still able to attract the event.  I see no reason why Jeffersonville would be any different.

Now as far as traffic goes, let me say this:  I'm not the least bit worried about it.  And guess what, I would be directly affected by the traffic.  Most weeks would just be a normal schedule which wouldn't result in too many cars.  The few weeks that they were to have a big event, it's not like families would be just driving back and forth from the complex creating a constant flow of traffic.  They would drive there.  Perhaps leave for lunch if it was all day event and then return and leave when the event is complete.  Maybe at most you would have two times (the very beginning and end) when you could have a large amount of traffic in the area.  So what, it might take me a few moments longer to get in and out of my neighborhood during those few times.  I think I'll live. 

And no, my neighborhood wasn't contacted to attend the meeting.  But unlike some in this city, I don't feel the need to feel bitter over nothing.  Especially when the end result has huge possibilities for the city and its business owners. 

But as usual, I'm more interested in the progress and growth of our city than any personal petty issue.  And this is a great opportunity toward that goal.