Relentless pressure from soccer community over the past several years plus a donation from the Yavapai Community College Foundation bring project to life; no opposition from the Board
Commentary
The idea of a soccer field for the Prescott Campus was a part of the ten-year $103.5 million dollar development plan unveiled back in December 2012. Recall that at that time well over 95% of the development funds were to go to facilities on the west side of Mingus Mountain. Scattered among the millions of dollars was the idea of a soccer field.
In part the original 2012 Development plan stated that:
“Yavapai College has a solid reputation as a very competitive soccer program having won seven National titles in the past 25 years. This development would allow the team to practice and play on campus thus boosting student and community involvement alike. The recommendation is for a lit synthetic field due to the multiple activities and year-round uses being envisioned.” (“https://masterplan.yc.edu/files/2014/01/Final-Report-RPT-2014-0218-WEB_UPDATED.pdf)
Since 2012, a portion of the original project has been removed. For example, including the Events Center as a part of the project is gone. However, there is no information about what precisely the College plans to build with a total now budgeted at $900,000 (College $200,000; Foundation $700,000) in expenses plus all the time to be put in to the project by its own staff. Does it include locker rooms now or will they appear in the future? Or never. (See original plan.) Will concessions be built under grandstands now, in the future, never? (See original plan.) Training space for NARTA (College just finished training facility for NARTA) Lit field? Now? In the future? Never? (Original plan.) Synthetic field? (Claim grass field now) (See original plan.) Nobody knows because the public has never seen a copy of the new plan. (And what are the future plans for construction of it, if any?)
Recall that the first step in this project, taken by former president Penelope Wills, caused about $1 million to be moved from the capital construction budget into the maintenance budget. Those funds were used to prepare a 280 space parking lot for the facility; work that has apparently already been completed.
The project is called a “multi-use” facility rather than, in the Blog’s view, its real purpose, which is a field for the soccer team. It will be used, sometimes the Blog has been informed, for graduation and some other events thus allowing it to be called “multi-use.”
Exactly how much it will cost when it is completed seems questionable. The Foundation had promised $1.5 million in the 2016 budget to construct the facility. (See 2016 budget below.) In 2019 the the Foundation indicated it would donate an astonishing $2.65 million. (See 2019 budget below). This year, the Foundation contribution has been reduced to sharing $700,000 with the technical theater.
Former President Penny Wills had promised the soccer community that she would build such a facility, despite the fact the team already plays on two excellent fields—one in Prescott and another in Prescott Valley. (The College has hosted major regional and national soccer events on these fields.) While the incredible expenditures originally budgeted for the project have been reduced, there remains no reasonable need, in the opinion of the Blog, for the field and the expenditure of any taxpayer money to build and then support it. There are far greater educational needs!
This is a project to watch carefully as scarce taxpayer funds are being put into it. It is likewise disappointing that donors to the Community College Foundation will find that rather than use their money for scholarships, faculty salaries, and programs, it is being used for the nonessential field. Moreover, the real cost, which involves the use of Yavapai Community College employees to build it, are not evident in the budget.
The work was scheduled to begin this month (April). It is described by the Community College “as a 160’ x 230’ multi-use field. This project will consist of an irrigated grass field, fence, and netting along with a gravel path around the exterior. The field will be located to the north of Kachina, where the Supai residence hall once was located. The Grounds Team will be performing much of the work.”
MULTI USE SOCCER FIELD
The Verde Independent newspaper, in a story written by staff reporter Jason W. Brooks, has provided detailed information regarding the potential development of a 72-apartment complex on about five acres of land located between the Yavapai College Verde Valley Campus, Haskell Springs Road and Hidden Springs Lane. As many as 14 units of the complex may be set aside for use by Yavapai Community College students and staff.
At its March meeting, the Yavapai Community College District Governing Board members were presented with a detailed study commissioned by the College to determine the efficacy of possibly purchasing land and locating a hotel on property adjacent the Sedona Center. The Board appeared most interested in purchasing an additional five acres adjacent the Center. If a purchase was made, the Board would then decide its best use.
Yavapai Community College Facilities Management provided an update on construction of Building “L” on the Verde Campus in Clarkdale in its January 2020 Newsletter. Construction appears to be on time for a fall 2020 opening, although a great deal remains to be accomplished by then.
