First games to be played at Etowah County Mega Sports Complex
Article written by Greg Bailey of The Gadsden Times
For the first time, there’s going to be actual athletic activity at the Etowah County Mega Sports Complex in Rainbow City.
The complex on Saturday will host the Northeast Alabama Soccer Officials’ annual training event, according to a news release from Greater Gadsden Area Tourism.
The event will feature 29 boys’ and girls’ high school teams playing at least 38 games, to give referees required training to qualify them for state playoff consideration.
Southside boys’ coach Randy Vice, a member of the complex authority’s board and the Rainbow City Council, arranged it. “Coach Michael Farmer from Fort Payne reached out to me to see if we would have the ability to host the event,” Vice said, “and after consultation with the board, it was agreed this would be a great ‘unofficial’ opening.”
“While this has been an achievement for all involved, the participation of Rainbow City has been paramount,” said Vice, who thanked Mayor Joe Taylor and the City Council for his appointment to the authority. He also cited Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford, who was responsible as a state legislator for the bill that created the authority and is a longtime advocate of the complex, as well as “all the former and current authority members for their hard work and vision.”