The Leitchfield City Council met Monday night, and a council member informed the group of an exploratory trip to Hopkinsville to visit that city’s recreation center.
As part of the ongoing fact-finding process, Councilman Dennis Fentress and other officials recently visited a recreation center in Hopkinsville that was completed in 2018. Fentress told the council the 48,000-square-foot facility was constructed at a cost of $5.5 million.
Fentress said the Hopkinsville facility has three basketball courts as well as an indoor soccer field. He stated that Hopkinsville officials noted they have as many kids playing soccer as basketball.
Hopkinsville creates revenue by renting out the indoor soccer field for tournaments. Additionally, the soccer field is used for softball, baseball and football.
The facility has a walking track, but not an elevated walking track, as has been previously discussed for the proposed recreation center in Leitchfield. Fentress said Hopkinsville officials said an elevated walking track was not, for their facility, cost efficient.
Instead, when the building was constructed, “they added a little around the edges,” Fentress stated, “and that works fine,” as people walking on the track do not interfere with games being played.
Surprisingly, the Hopkinsville recreation center is projected to turn a $500,000 profit this year, including $150,000 in concessions, according to Fentress.
The first committee meeting to discuss the future of a recreation center in Leitchfield is slated for October 18. It is anticipated that multiple feasibility studies will be completed to assist in directing the council on the wisest way to move forward with the project.
(Photo: Leitchfield Mayor Harold Miller)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
