Chamber obtains environmental permit to move forward with Williamsport baseball, softball complex
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Construction on a baseball and softball complex will begin this spring, the Williamsport/Lycoming County Chamber of Commerce announced Saturday.
The project will see a multipurpose building available for use by the Williamsport Area School District, Lycoming College and Pennsylvania College of Technology, according to Jason Fink, the president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce.
According to Fink, the project just received an environmental permit related to preventing pollutant discharge, which will allow the project to move closer toward its construction phase in spring of next year.
Penn College and Lycoming College's baseball programs will use the facility, as well as Penn College and the Williamsport Area School District's softball programs, Fink said.
The 28-acre brownfield site, located along Interstate 180, combines a private property and the former location of Susquehanna Supply. Fink described the property as blighted.
"We are anxious to see a visible property along I-180 transformed into a productive sports tourism site," Fink said.
The project is a $17 million project, and according to Fink, $2 million is accounted for through a redevelopment assistance grant, while another state grant will help with $200,000.
The chamber is currently looking for underwriting from donors for the project, and is engaging a firm to help them name the complex.
Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, who visited on Saturday as Fink delivered an update about the complex, said he would like to stay in touch with Fink to help promote youth baseball by supporting the project.
"We were unfortunately delayed by the pandemic, but we are excited to get this underway," Fink said.
Fink said the complex will be playable in the spring of 2023.