Sports complex breaks ground on expansion

Nonprofit

Oct 15

Photo courtesy of West Michigan Sports Commission

West Michigan Sports Commission (WMSC) leaders, project partners, and donors recently broke ground on the expansion of the Meijer Sports Complex. Located at 3300 10 Mile Rd NE in Rockford, construction is slated for completion in October 2025.

"Today is possible because everyone here came together – public organizations, private corporations, government agencies and even individuals – united in a singular cause of creating more spaces for youth and amateur athletes to recreate in West Michigan," said Mike Guswiler, President, WMSC. "We are so grateful to all of you for sharing in our vision of building up our region from an economic, health and wellness standpoint through sport."

The expanded Meijer Sports Complex will utilize land south of the current site, allowing it to host 200 additional teams annually and generate an estimated $1 million in new visitor spending annually. Key features of the project include the Alro Steel Championship Field, designed for youth, amateur, and collegiate softball, with synthetic turf, grandstands, lighting, covered dugouts, and a press box. Two additional flexible-use diamond fields will support youth and amateur baseball, softball, and collegiate softball, each with covered dugouts and bleachers.

The complex will also introduce 20 pickleball courts, including a championship court, a new concession building, restroom facility, expanded storage space, and a playground area. All bleacher seating will be covered with canopies, and 300 new parking spaces will be added.

The project also includes improvements on the sports complex, which have already been completed with synthetic turf installed on the DeVos Family Championship Field and resurfacing the Nate Hurwitz Miracle Field.

Guswiler, alongside the A Winning Streak for West Michigan capital campaign Co-Chairs Deb Kay and Nick Davidson (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Vice President), Campaign Ambassador Lance Parrish, WMSC Board Chair Jim Horman, Congresswoman Hillary Scholten, Senator Mark Huizenga, and Meijer VP of Communications & Community Engagement Ray Hancart, addressed guests and ceremonially broke ground at the Meijer Sports Complex.

"As a partner of the West Michigan Sports Commission for more than a decade, supporting youth and amateur sports continues to be an important way we live our purpose of enriching lives in the communities we serve," said Hancart. "We're thrilled to be part of expanding the Meijer Sports Complex to further serve athletes of all ages and abilities."

Also announced was the status of the fundraising campaign, which has now reached $13 million – bringing the fundraising gap to just $500,000 shy of the $13.5 million project total. The WMSC launched the capital campaign in October 2022. For more information, visit westmisports.com/winningstreak.