Lubbock plans to spend $8 million expanding the Thomas A. Martin Youth Sports Complex in southwest Lubbock to lure more youth baseball and softball tournaments that bring the city an estimated annual $8.3 million in economic impact.
The expansion would make Lubbock more competitive with Midland and Odessa to get tournaments and visitor dollars. The work is funded by a Hotel Occupancy Tax.
The City Council approved $475,000 for an architectural and engineering contract this month – part of an $8 million expansion of the ball fields at 12401 Milwaukee Avenue near the future Loop 88.
“These last two weekends in a row, if you happen to go out there … you’ll see the entire facility is booked. We’ve got, for instance, this weekend, almost 100 teams playing. Last weekend we had almost 100 teams playing,” said Colby VanGundy, director of Parks and Recreation.
The complex attracts families from West Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Oklahoma, VanGundy said.
The complex now has 16 ball fields. Plans are to:
- Add two to four new artificial turf fields.
- Renovate four existing fields with artificial turf.
- Add more parking.
- Develop two new entrance/exit points.
Ultimately the visitors pay for the ball fields in the form of a hotel tax, according to VanGundy.
“So, it won’t come out of our general operation funds,” he added.
According to John Osborne, president and CEO of the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance, youth baseball and softball bring an estimated $8.3 million of economic impact to Lubbock every year – only counting the regional tournaments. It would be even higher if Osborne’s team tracked local events too.
It’s hard to put a number on the Tom Martin Complex, because some games are held at the Berl Huffman Complex or other locations in Lubbock.
There are roughly 20 ball tournaments each year big enough to bring in teams from out-of-town. Those tournaments bring in 24,000 coaches and players plus an estimated 60,000 spectators, Osborne said.
Home turf
Artificial turf fields make a more consistent playing surface and can be switched quickly to meet different needs. Some games need 60 feet of distance between the bases. Others need 65 or 70.
“This will allow for that process … to be done within 10 minutes. We can switch out the bases – pull them back. We can move the mound up or back real easily,” VanGundy said.
The turf fields will be a competitive advantage Lubbock has over other cities.
“The one thing that we do have that helps us a little bit is the location and the ease of getting to Lubbock with an airport and different things. … We really expect that this will increase the amount of teams that do come here,” VanGundy said.
The timeline
The architecture and engineering contract is for two and a half years.
According to public records, the original timeline set up in 2024 was:
- FY 2024-2025: Begin architectural and engineering work
- FY 2025-2026: Begin construction
- FY 2026-2027: Finish construction
A more exact construction timeline will be known about three or four months from now, VanGundy said.
Project Justification
Source: Capital Improvement Project listing in city records.
The need for this project stems from the increasing trend of sports tourism in Lubbock and the rising popularity of the Tom Martin Sports Complex. With a growing number of events and participants, the existing infrastructure is becoming insufficient to meet the demands. By expanding the complex, the project aims to accommodate a higher number of tournaments and participants, thereby strengthening the facility’s position as a premier destination for sports events. This development is essential to capitalize on the expanding sports tourism market and ensure the complex can continue to serve the community effectively.
Who was Tom Martin?
Martin served as Lubbock mayor from 2008 to 2012. Before, he was elected as the City Councilman for District 5.
Martin was a weather forecaster for KLBK from 1968-1970, then public information officer for the City of Lubbock. He was an officer with the Lubbock Police Department from 1974 until 1990. He also served as police chief in both San Marcos and Grapevine.
Martin was largely credited with transforming Milwaukee Avenue from a dirt road to a seven-lane thoroughfare – as documented by the Avalanche Journal editorial board in 2019. Martin was also credited for ahead-of-schedule construction of the Marsha Sharp Freeway.
The youth sports complex was named after him in 2019 – more than a year after he passed way.
