Ken De La Bastide, The Herald Bulletin
August 7, 2024
ELWOOD — Within the next two months, the city of Elwood will receive proposals for the construction of a sports complex.
City council Monday approved a resolution to solicit proposals for the building of a complex on 79 acres adjacent to the Elwood High School football stadium.
Mayor Todd Jones said the public-private partnership will build a sports complex at costs of up to $10 million. The facility will include a 50,000-square-foot indoor facility for basketball and volleyball and four outdoor baseball and softball diamonds.
Elwood is seeking proposals from developers to design and build the complex with an estimated cost of construction and operating.
Jones said the city is in negotiations with the land owner to purchase the property.
Last year, Madison County Council approved $503,000 for the City of Elwood to build a regional sports complex. Those funds were appropriated from the county’s wind farm economic development fund.
Jones at the time reminded council members that a resolution was adopted by county officials in 2011 stipulating that the wind farm money was to be used in northern Madison County.
When the Wildcat Wind Farm was built in northern Madison County, the developer provided $1.3 million for economic development projects.
Jones said a feasibility study showed a sports complex could generate up to $9 million annually in tourism dollars. The study indicates the sports complex could create up to 108 jobs in the region.
The city is also in discussions with several developers about plans for the construction of two hotels near the intersection of Ind. 37 and Ind. 28. The Elwood Redevelopment Commission has purchased the property and removed existing structures, according to Jones.
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