Fundraising for Prospect Meadows in Linn County nears milestone

Prospect Meadows, a proposed 17-field baseball and softball complex in Linn County, has nearly rounded the bases for getting funding for its first phase but needs at least $750,000 more before breaking ground, according to its leader.

The complex, to be located on the southeast corner of County Home Road and Highway 13 near Marion, is intended to fill a need for more baseball and softball fields in Eastern Iowa and bring in teams from across the Midwest, said Jack Roeder, president of Prospect Meadows Inc.

The first phase of the project, intended to be finished by March 2019, includes a parking lot, concession stands, eight diamonds and a 'Miracle Field,” a diamond with a rubberized surface and wheelchair-accessible dugouts so children with disabilities can play.

The second phase entails another eight fields with concession stands.

Roeder said Prospect Meadows expects to bring 60,000 visitors to the area each year, and he anticipates those visitors to fill nearly 2,000 hotel rooms in the Corridor in the summer.

Perfect Game, a baseball scouting service in Cedar Rapids, is already its largest client, having booked 1,400 teams at the complex. Game Day USA of Naperville, Ill., has booked 400 teams a year, Roeder said.

Plans for Prospect Meadows began in 2011, and local municipalities and statewide organizations have pledged support in past years.

Grading for a future road through the facility began in October.

The first phase is expected to cost about $13.6 million. Prospect Meadows has raised about $11 million in grants and donations, Roeder said.

'It's taken awhile because of the collaboration, but the collaboration shows a real want and need for this in the area,” he said.

The list of contributors for Phase 1 is long, starting with more than $3.2 million in donations.

In 2014, Prospect Meadows was awarded a $1.3 million grant from the Iowa Department of Transportation to add turn lanes on Highway 13, a third lane on County Home Road near Highway 13 and a road through the complex. That will cost about $2.6 million; Prospect Meadows would cover the other half of the road cost, Roeder said.

The Enhance Iowa board also awarded a $1 million grant in late 2016. And last month, Cedar Rapids' Hall-Perrine Foundation awarded a $1.5 million grant, which Roeder said could allow Prospect Meadows to finish raising the money it needs to break ground.

Hall-Perrine is 'the gold standard in the area, and having them on board opens a lot of other doors to finish our fundraising drive,” Roeder said. 'I know for a fact that there were a half a dozen businesses that told me to come back when they were on board. And we're not necessarily going to stop at that $750,000. '

The Linn County Conservation Department also will give $250,000 to the project and the Cedar Rapids/Linn County Solid Waste Agency $50,000.

In addition, the Linn County Board of Supervisors approved a contribution of $1.5 million.

Supervisor Brent Oleson said last week that Prospect Meadows and the finance department met again to begin allocating the money.

The Board of Supervisors also is leasing the land to Prospect Meadows for $1 a year for the next 95 years.

'It was the perfect location to do a recreational project,” Oleson said. 'This one is super unique to Iowa. It benefits the community and will return back to the taxpayers probably 10 times over. My daughter is in softball and we travel and drop $500 a weekend. It will be nice to do that and stay in the area and have that money coming here.”

Roeder said Marion has committed $1.25 million, which comes in part from local-option sales tax. That money has not yet been allocated.

And Cedar Rapids has shown continued support. The City Council will award $1 million over time if the organization proves it is increasing business for Cedar Rapids hotels.

Council member Susie Weinacht said she's eager for it to open.

'Two things stood out to me.” she said. 'This project brings the ‘Miracle Field.' That provides opportunities for our special-needs kiddos to play the All-American sports and engage. I'm very optimistic that their projections of bringing 60,000 visitors to our area each year will increase hotel revenue, restaurant, entertainment and sales tax dollars. This can do nothing but help.”

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