CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Shawnee Park Foundation will have a better understanding of how much sponsorship the planned multi-sports complex will need after a bid is accepted by the Kanawha County Commission as early as Thursday.
The foundation board met Monday to discuss sponsorship opportunities, as well as a national soccer tournament it is looking to host at the Dunbar site.
The Kanawha County Commission approved in May to redevelop the park into a facility capable of hosting regional and local youth sports tournaments, which could include local high school games. Bids for the project will be accepted up to Wednesday at 1 p.m.
Facilities director Katie Arthur said once a bid is approved, they will have a better idea regarding what efforts will need to be taken to assure the site is funded.
“Maybe they’ll come in a lot lower than our original estimate and it’ll be pretty easy, or maybe it’ll be a little bit higher and we’ll have to kick it into high gear and get the fundraising and the sponsorship going,” she said.
Arthur, who was hired in August, said the board is also looking at hosting by the National President’s Cup in 2020. US Youth Soccer is the tournament’s organizer, which was held this year in Auburndale, Florida, a city with a population of 15,540 people.
“You need to be within 30 minutes of a major airport, which we’re a smaller airport, but we don’t see that being a problem with how close that is to our hotels and our venue,” Arthur said of the criteria, referencing Yeager Airport.
The winner of the complex logo contest will also be announced at the Kanawha County Commission meeting Thursday. More than 120 students from seven Kanawha County schools submitted entries in hopes of having their design represent the facility.