13-02-2025
Strong public-private partnerships: Midland breaks ground on new soccer complex
MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- City leaders in Midland broke ground Wednesday on the construction of a new soccer complex at Beal Park.
The ExxonMobil Soccer Complex at Beal Park will feature 62 fields of various sizes, as well as a splash park and other amenities. Its construction will allow Midland to host soccer tournaments, keep Midland Soccer Association games at one site and provide a signature park in southwest Midland.
'Sports tourism really has a huge economic impact on the City of Midland. When we start looking at the large-scale tournaments that come in for soccer, with the Turkey Shootout every year, with some of the baseball tournaments that are held in other fields and other parks in town, this really becomes a significant influx of cash into our community through hotel-motel tax dollars, through taxes paid in our stores and our restaurants. And so, this is an economic driver, and it offsets the cost to the community so that the property taxpayers are not feeling the full burden,' said Mayor Lori Blong.
City officials have stated that the 'current budget' for the Beal Park transformation is $44.5 million. That includes $28 million from the City of Midland, $10 million from the Beal Foundation, $5 million from the Scharbauer Foundation for the development of a splash park and $1.5 from ExxonMobil. The funding is a shining example of what can be accomplished though strong public-private partnerships.
Phase 1 of the renovation project is expected to be completed at the end of 2025. The first phase of the construction will also include clearing and grubbing of the mesquite in the park, and the addition of irrigation and seeding to create large grass areas.
Plans for Phases 2 and 3 have just started and should be complete at the end of July 2025. Phase 2 is scheduled to begin in early 2026, with completion expected at the end of 2027. Phase 3 will begin in early 2028, with completion expected in September 2028.
At completion, an addition of 62 soccer fields of various sizes will be available, as well as additional restrooms and parking. Four of the new fields will have an artificial turf surface. New lighting and irrigation will be installed in the grass fields.
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