Signs placed this week by Visit Hot Springs at the former property of the Boys & Girls Club, 109 W. Belding, display the vision for a future baseball complex.
Visit Hot Springs CEO Steve Arrison said the signs were placed at the future site of the Majestic Park Baseball Complex to share with the community the Hot Springs Advertising and Promotion Commission's vision for the property.
"We put some signs up to show people our vision for the park and the proposed layout," he said.
Demolition and site preparation by Ervan Slaight Demolition and Excavation began Jan. 15 funded by a $500,000 grant from the Oaklawn Foundation. Arrison said Thursday that the property has been cleared of all fencing, dugouts, bleachers, asphalt, light poles and out buildings and the commission is currently performing a geotechnical investigation of the site.
Arrison said funding options are still being sought to supplement that Oaklawn Foundation grant and a donation of $50,000 to be paid out $10,000 a year for five years awarded by Ritter Communications. Ritter gave the award during an announcement that the telecommunications company will invest $7 million in broadband infrastructure to Hot Springs.
The ad commission voted in April 2018 to accept the donation of the Boys & Girls Club property, which was estimated to be worth $222,550 to $581,598. The donation included multiple baseball fields of various sizes, restroom facilities, a concessions building, green spaces and off-street parking.
The former club building was donated to Champion Christian College.
"We're just trying to stimulate some interest," Arrison said. "We've had a lot of questions about what we're planning to do with the Boys Club so we're just looking to share our vision with people."
Arrison said the estimated cost for the Majestic Park project is between $7.3 and $7.4 million.
"We want to make this is first-class facility. It's a shame we don't have youth baseball in Hot Springs," he said.
Local on 06/16/2019