WINDSOR, Colo. – What’s being touted as the “world’s largest sports park,” will soon be built in Windsor.
The president of Rocky Mountain Sports Park told Denver7 that the 413-acre, privately funded facility, will be built near the intersection of Harmony Road and Highway 257.
“It will be a Disneyland for youth athletes,” Mike Billadeau said, “with all the best amenities they could possibly hope to have while they’re here, from artificial turf fields to housing, dining facilities and a recreation center. It will be the ultimate stay and play.”
Billadeau said the park is intended to be used for competitive baseball and softball tournaments.
He said the centerpiece of the park will be a ten-thousand seat stadium.
Graphic designs of that stadium and the surrounding park were released during a news conference Tuesday morning at Windsor’s Town Hall.
“It’s sweet,” said Israel Tovar, during batting practice at Chimney Park. “It looks like a major league field.”
Tovar’s father, Alejandro, a youth baseball coach, said there is a tremendous demand for ballparks in Windsor.
“I work really close with the Windsor Rec Coordinator,” Alejandro said. “A lot of times, it’s a nightmare for him to coordinate all the teams and all the practices. I think the (new) park will definitely help out. I think it will improve the overall programs here in Northern Colorado.”
Rocky Mountain Sports Park’s Director of Marketing, Shawn Logan, said the new park will provide every athlete the opportunity to play baseball and softball, while gaining a broader perspective of themselves and the world.
He said competitors will come from across Colorado, across the nation and from as far away as Japan.
“We will contribute to growing the game of baseball by offering every individual a chance to experience baseball’s fun, energy and sportsmanship on the field and take it back home with them.” Logan said. “You don’t just come and play baseball. You come and learn how to be healthy and how to be a better teammate.”
Sports Park Features
· 65 sports fields
· Miracle field
· Five high school/collegiate fields
· Ten Youth fields
· Four T-ball fields
· 16 Tournament Baseball (four-plex)
· 16 Tournament Softball (four-plex)
· 12 Multi-use fields (soccer, lacrosse & football)
Billadeau says the sports park will also include 207 acres of commercial development
“We’ll have restaurants, retail shops for the athletes and the families that come into town,” he said.
When asked why Windsor, Logan said, “This is a small town with a big flare. I find that everything Windsor does, is done on a grand scale.”
Billadeau said they chose Windsor for a number of reasons.
“The climate is great,” he said. “We’ll have artificial field turf, so we won’t have any field maintenance delays after a weather event. Even though it will be chilly in the spring, it’s still not humid and the lack of humidity in the summer is more appealing to athletes, rather than the south where it’s so humid and sometimes it’s harder to play.”
Billadeau said the first phase of the project will be done in the Fall of 2018.
He said the second phase of the project will be done in the Spring of 2019.
