Gadsden State Community College breaks ground on new sports complex, latest step in athletic rebuild

It was a day of progress at Gadsden Sports Park as Gadsden State Community College officially broke ground on the new baseball and softball complex.

It's the latest step as the Cardinals are in the process of bringing back their baseball and softball programs. The baseball program has started this season playing off Meighan Blvd and at Gadsden City High School's field while the softball program will start with fall ball this year.

The new complex will feature baseball and softball fields that will be fully turf, including the bullpens and have a covered hitting facility for the teams to use. For fans, the seating capacity will be at 150 with elevated bleachers and a concession stand will be able to serve both fields. The complex will also have LED lights and new scoreboards.

For Gadsden State president Dr. Kathy Miller, the rebuilding of the baseball and softball program has been a priority since taking the job in 2021. Tuesday's ground breaking was the latest step for that rebuild.

"I have wanted for this day to get here, excited that this day is here," Miller said. "When I came to Gadsden State, I sat down multiple community stakeholders, including our local superintendents and our local mayors, and this is one of those things that both of those groups said, we need to bring baseball and softball back."

The event on Tuesday was attended by Gadsden State officials, coaches along side the baseball team and members of the future softball team, including some local high schoolers. For softball coach Ryan Clark, the groundbreaking shows how much the rebuilding of the baseball and softball programs mean to the college and community.

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"When I started recruiting in August, this was just a theory," Clark said. "Now its here, its real and it lets everyone know that Gadsden State is serious about this."

The complex will be on the left side of the Gadsden Sports Park, which is undergoing changes of its own. Adding to the four diamond fields and two soccer fields will be four new pickleball courts and two more soccer fields along with more parking lot space.

The project is expected to be completed by early-2025 and will cost $10 million.

Maxwell Donaldson covers high school sports and Jacksonville State athletics for the Gadsden Times. Find him on Twitter/X @_Max_Donaldson and contact him at MDonaldson@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Gadsden State Community College breaks ground on new sports complex