Saraland sports complex to be game-changing for community
Article written by J. Mark Bryant of the Lagniappe News
Many communities have recently made an effort to expand and enhance their athletic facilities to tap into the lucrative sports tourism industry. Annual reports validate the impact these events can have on local economies.
So, when it was first announced that the city of Saraland was in the planning stages to create an athletic complex called The Land, some assumed it would be to attract similar competition.
In fact, a series of interviews with key personnel proved it is the exact opposite.
“This is community first, by far,” Ashley-Nicole Flowers, director of Saraland’s Parks & Recreation Department, said. “If I gave a percentage, 80 percent is for our community and 20 percent is for outsiders.
“Our community is growing fast. My two-year anniversary was in January. Some of the reasons I came to Saraland were they have a great school system and great public safety. They just needed quality of life to increase.
PLANNED FOR SOME TIME
Dr. Howard Rubenstein, the mayor of Saraland, said the idea for The Land has been formulating for quite some time.
“It has been the vision of City Council President Joe McDonald,” Rubenstein said. “He grew up in Saraland. Unfortunately, our fields have not been improved over the years because of financial constraints.
“His dream was to update the facilities so our residents could be proud of them. If we get the extra boost from sports tournaments, it would be frosting on the cake.”
Rubenstein said the idea of The Land has been taking place for a dozen years.
“We were finally able to get the numbers together,” Rubenstein said. “This will be game-changing for our community.
“We will have eight ball diamonds, five multi-purpose fields, tennis courts, volleyball courts, indoor and outdoor pickleball, and an indoor recreation facility.”
The mayor said this would be the largest open indoor space in northern Mobile County.
“It will be the size of four regulation basketball courts,” he said. “We could have indoor graduations and trade shows. It would be available for anything that is a big event.”
There will also be a walking/running track on the second floor.
“It will connect to a trail that goes through the entire 100 acres,” Rubenstein said.
Flowers said The Land would be unlike any other facility that most people have seen.
“It is a unique complex,” she said. “It would be hard to compare it to anything in the South. It will be the premier community recreation center, but we will also support health and wellness.”
Plans for the main complex are for it to be approximately 78,000 square feet.
“Inside the gym, we will have dedicated childcare services,” Flowers said. “A multi-purpose room will hold fitness classes. We will have dedicated spin classes.
“I envision space for those who want to work with heavy equipment. In the downstairs area, we will have cardio connected with the circuit training.”
There are plans to have an arcade room for children.
“It will be a family entertainment center,” Flowers said. “We will have an indoor rock climbing wall.”
Flowers said there would be a membership fee to join the gym. A price has not yet been set.
“Residents of Saraland will get a discounted fee to join,” Flowers said. “Our motto is that Saraland is a great place to live, work and play.
“And we want people to stay here. I want to see our community grow, and not just the school system. We want to see our grandkids stay.”
GOING IN PHASES
The facility will be located off Interstate 65’s Exit 15. The address is 7365 Celeste Road near Saraland’s Fire Station 3.
“The current plan is to have this cover 100 acres,” Rubenstein said. “We have purchased an additional 40 acres for expansion down the road.”
While the project is divided into two phases, the mayor said the plans are working concurrently.
“Phase 1 is the fields, like ball diamonds and the football/soccer fields,” he said. “We hope they will be ready by November of this year. We are already moving dirt.
“Phase 1A is the indoor courts and tennis. We are shooting for Spring 2025. The construction bids were due by Feb. 1.”
Rubenstein said the project is projected to cost approximately $72 million. The mayor believes it is a great investment.
“We think this is a community game-changer for Saraland,” he said. “As much as our school system has been.