Effingham has agreed to purchase a property that a local group wants to lease to build an indoor-outdoor sports complex it would call the Effingham Showcase Center.
The Effingham City Council Wednesday unanimously approved an agreement to purchase 25 acres of land located on Schwerman Street, near U.S. Route 40, from Effingham Unit 40 at a rate of $70,000 per acre for a total of $1.75 million.
The Effingham Unit 40 Board approved the agreement during its meeting earlier this month.
“There’s been an enormous amount of work behind the scenes in regard to this,” Effingham Mayor Mike Schutzbach said during the council’s special meeting. “It should be a good project for the city.”
Plans for the sports complex include a roughly 35-foot-tall dome, AstroTurf softball fields, an AstroTurf baseball field, basketball courts and volleyball courts.
“It’s exciting for the city and for the region,” Effingham City Commissioner Libby Moeller said.
The purchase of the property is contingent on Effingham resident Ryan Engel and members of the Effingham Showcase Center’s board raising $18 million by Dec. 31 2024 for the construction of the facility. The city won’t lose any funds if this deadline is not met.
“This is not our city’s project,” Schutzbach said. “This is a not-for-profit entity that has come to the city for help to get it started. Hopefully, this gives them the kick-start, and it happens.”
The city plans to use its hotel-motel funds to cover the cost of the property. Council members agreed that this would be an appropriate use of these funds because, as Schutzbach said during the council’s meeting, they are meant to help the city get more “heads in beds” at its hotels and motels.
“It’s a perfect use of hotel-motel taxes,” Effingham City Commissioner Larry Micenheimer said.
Members of the council discussed some of of the potential benefits a new sports complex could bring to the area, including additional revenue from increased tourism.
“All different sorts of groups can be involved in the use of the facility,” Micenheimer said. “So it’s a great day for Effingham, and we’re getting into a new industry, the sports industry.”
Effingham City Commissioner Hank Stephens said he agreed with Micenheimer’s comments on the matter and claimed that the construction of a new sports complex could be a “win, win, win” for the city, Unit 40, and the Effingham Showcase Center.
“I think this has tremendous potential for us,” Stephens said. “Hopefully we can make it all happen. I think this is obviously a major step towards getting there.”
The property the city has agreed to purchase is also in close proximity to Unit 40’s current athletic facilities, and Schutzbach said the proposed sports complex could have a “huge impact” on the district.
Additionally, Effingham City Attorney Tracy Willenborg told council members that the sports complex could attract more businesses to the area that offer entertainment and activities for children, and she referenced an indoor amusement center in Springfield as an example.
“I’d love to see more of those things,” Willenborg said.
Although he also expressed his support for efforts to bring the complex to Effingham, Effingham City Commissioner Merv Gillenwater warned his fellow council members about potential pushback from the community.
“It’s gonna be a fight,” Gillenwater said. “I just want us to be ready for that. And if this fails, well, that’s not on us.”