PLAY projections

The Partners for Lawrence Athletics and Youth have compiled an attractive wish list for new athletic facilities in Lawrence.

An indoor ice arena, an indoor fieldhouse, a new school district sports complex and improvements to a number of existing sports facilities all fall in the “nice to have” category. Unfortunately, that doesn’t necessarily mean they would be a good investment for Lawrence.

A consultant’s report presented relatively rosy projections for some of the projects. However, according to the report, none of the three most expensive projects could be expected to break even financially. Even if private or public money can be found to build any or all of the facilities, rentals and other fees are projected to fall from $100,000 (indoor fieldhouse) to $500,000 (ice arena) short of the annual operating costs.

PLAY advocates point, however, to other potential benefits from the athletic facilities. The consultant projects an outdoor sports complex would generate $20.9 million a year in sales and other economic benefits for the city. An indoor fieldhouse would add $17.9 million annually and an ice arena, $5.4 million, the report says.

The consultants undoubtedly have some accepted formula for making these projections, but experience tells us they aren’t always accurate. The Eagle Bend Golf Course near Clinton Dam provides a cautionary comparison.

Unlike the PLAY projects, consultants projected that Eagle Bend actually would break even and start turning a profit within a few years of construction. Since the course opened in 1998, however, it has seldom broken even. Even with free water from the city and free land from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the golf course has been unable to draw enough golfers from competing courses.

It’s easy to see how the same situation might occur with the PLAY facilities. Advocates want Lawrence facilities that would compete with complexes in Olathe and Topeka, but both of those cities have a much larger population from which to draw. Will Lawrence facilities be able to pull enough tournament events away from those cities to live up to the rosy economic benefit projections?

Some people certainly would argue that even if the facilities lose money they are an important amenity for the city everyone wants Lawrence to be. A more adequate place for Lawrence’s two high schools to play football would seem to fall into that category, and the school district perhaps should take the lead on proposing such a project. However, how many Lawrence residents actually would benefit from the other facilities, particularly if the fees necessary to support them put them out of reach for many low- or moderate-income families?

PLAY organizers have performed a positive service by initiating a community-wide discussion on how different public and private entities can cooperate to increase sports opportunities for Lawrence’s young people. However, squaring their wish list with financial realities appears to pose a major challenge.