Tentative designs for the regional sports complex as shown by Barren County Judge-Executive Jamie Bewley Byrd.
By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
The plan for the regional sports complex moves forward with the recent approval of the architectural and design contract.
At the May 20 Barren County Fiscal Court meeting, the magistrates approved the sports complex contract with Sherman Carter Barnhart Architects using the $1 million of state money the county recently received for regional projects. Barren County Judge-Executive Jamie Bewley Byrd said she was able to get all three regional projects under “up to bid package” contract — the others being the Park City amphitheater and the agriculture center eyed for Cave City — without going over the $1 million threshold.
“This money is already in the account,” Byrd said. “It has been given to us from Frankfort. It can only be used for multicounty projects.”
The sports complex is deemed regional, Byrd said, because Metcalfe County has signed a resolution expressing support for the project.
“Metcalfe County has signed a resolution agreeing to become a partner in this project,” Byrd said. “When I say partner that does not mean that they are a partner financially that just means they’re a partner in support. That just helps going after state money.”
“This is a multicounty project because we’ve discussed with Metcalfe County how this would help their residents; their youth, and it’s not just Metcalfe County [that’ll benefit but so would] Monroe County, Cumberland County, Hart County, Greene County and even Taylor County,” she added.
The approved contract states the architects “shall not exceed $400,000” and “upon reaching the fee cap shall suspend further services” unless allowed in writing to continue. Byrd said this contract will bring the sports complex “up to [a] bid package” after which the cost of construction can be assessed.
Byrd said money made from renting out spaces, from the gate and from concessions would be a major component in paying off the construction costs.
The current layout includes four basketball/volleyball courts, three pickleball/tennis courts, multiple turfed areas — labeled as pitching/batting cages in the drawing — some multipurpose areas and a soccer/football field.
“There’s not enough fields for [all] we want to do and so this complex would allow for that,” Byrd said.
Byrd said in conjunction with private funding — which she said already amounted to $2 million — the county will request state funding in the 2026 budget. “We will be pursuing state funds on this. Depending on how much we receive, we might do this in phases.”
Much like Glasgow Mayor Henry Royse did when he announced the plan to put the sports complex on 15 acres of the former Johnson property off Ky. 1297, Byrd said other things besides athletics will benefit from the sports complex, areas like tourism and development — particularly with regards to housing on the property itself.
“When I show this project to investors that are interested in Barren County they are ready to talk; they are ready to talk about new restaurants, a hotel… it’s a quality of life for industries,” Byrd said. “We want jobs; I want jobs more than any other person you could ever think of, I want opportunities here in… Barren County, so a project like this that’s going to go on the front of the property… behind that property will be able to develop. You know what entices [developers], a sports complex.”
Byrd said the complex would be roughly three acres.
She said she had talked with the city and members of the city council prior to Royse’s announcement.
“Most of the time it has been [with the city’s] designers and [Terry] Bunnell and the mayor,” Byrd said. “I’ve talked to a lot of the other council members about this; they all know about it — I don’t know if they knew [Royse] was going to give us the option to start planning for the 15 acres.”
The goal would be, Byrd said, to run the sports complex similar to the Glasgow-Barren County Soccer Complex that has both city and county representatives making decisions with a facility director and assistant director.
Byrd said prior to the city’s purchase, the county had considered buying the former Johnson property. She said the county does not have the 15 acres yet, but rather has the option to put the sports complex there so the city can map out the other areas in the former Johnson property. Once the county gets state money, the city and county will get more formal with interlocal agreements, Byrd said.
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