Complex for sports at park proposed

Nearby residents have blocked several other developments at the park.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A businessman wants the city to give him most of Ipe Field so he can build a $2.2 million sports facility at the South Side location.
Mohammad Fard, a principal of Tri County Sports Complex Inc., presented his plan Thursday to the city park and recreation commission.
The proposal received ringing endorsements from Jeffrey Chagnot, the city's economic development director, and Councilman Mark Memmer, D-7th, who has Ipe Field in his ward.
Fard and Chagnot said they hoped the commission could approve the land transfer next month.
But the commission members were cool to the idea, saying they needed more information as well as to hear comments, particularly from those who live next to Ipe, on the project at a proposed public meeting. No date for the meeting is set, but it's expected to be scheduled shortly.
One of many plans
There have been numerous proposals for the city-owned, 26-acre park off Midlothian Boulevard, dating back to 1966 when the Youngstown school district wanted to use the field as the site of a junior high school.
In 1980, Kroger Co. wanted to build a supermarket there. Two years later, a sports complex was proposed. In 1998, a Lakewood developer offered $500,000 to the city for the property so he could build a shopping center with a grocery store there. In each of those cases, opposition from residents living near the park killed the plans.
"It's exciting to see something like this for the children of Youngstown, but we want to make sure we're not pushing this on a community," said Denise Warren, the commission's vice chairwoman.
In 2000, the 7th Ward Citizens Coalition planned to build a playground, Kids World, at the park. A scaled-down playground was built after a coalition official embezzled money raised for the project.
Besides the playground, the park has a baseball diamond and a small basketball court.
Fard owns the Point Cafe, Point Pizza, Mighty Moe's Sports Restaurant and the Brownlee Food Market, all in Youngstown. He's also been involved in youth soccer for about 20 years, including running the Mohammad Fard Soccer Institute in Struthers.
Fard wants to build an 82,500-square-foot indoor facility that would be used for soccer, football and baseball teams as well as a restaurant, a baseball batting cage, a weight room, locker rooms and a pro shop.
He also wants to put in five outdoor soccer/football fields and a new baseball diamond. Fard said his facility would offer youth sports instruction. His business plan calls for his company to make about $400,000 to $500,000 annually with the complex ready to open Jan. 1.
City loan
Chagnot said the city is interested in providing the $2.2 million Fard needs to build his complex through a no-interest, 18-month loan as long as the businessman has an irrevocable letter of credit from a bank.
After the 18 months, the city is reimbursed the full amount of the loan under this program. If the company goes out of business during that time-frame, the city gets all of its money from the bank so there's no risk involved, Chagnot said.
Presley Gillespie, a KeyBank vice president, attended Thursday's commission meeting. The bank hasn't given a formal commitment on the loan, he said, but it is "very, very interested in the project." If Fard could obtain the property from the city, the bank would go forward with the loan, Gillespie said.
"This facility would provide a much-needed avenue for kids in our city," Memmer said. "The field is under-utilized. I highly support this idea."
The facility would attract people from all over the Mahoning Valley as well as from other locations to Youngstown, he said.
Ipe Field is where Fard wants to build his facility. But he said if the city can't accommodate him, he would build it on Western Reserve Road or near the intersection of state Route 46 and Interstate 80. Both locations aren't in Youngstown.
skolnick@vindy.com