Lee County’s new Multi-Sports Complex is taking shape, as county leaders and staff weigh three design options recently presented by the project’s designer and architect.

The new concepts vary significantly in appearance from an initial concept that was presented at the start of the process, although that wasn’t unexpected. The architect provided a map showing environmental constraints on the initial drawing discovered during surveys of the land in the due diligence process prior to the purchase.

Now, the county will have to decide between three concepts of varying size and cost. Lee County Manager Dr. John Crumpton said county staff, leaders and stakeholders have so far given the most support to Concept C, which is the most expensive of the three proposals and includes two 300 foot baseball fields, two 225 foot baseball fields, seven rectangle fields, a championship baseball stadium, and a championship soccer rectangle.

Multi Sports Complex Concept C by McAdams

Concept A also had some support, the least expensive of the options, also had some support. It would feature four 300 foot baseball fields, six rectangle fields, a championship baseball stadium, a championship soccer rectangle, and something called an adventure area.

Multi Sports Complex Concept A by McAdams

“The concepts were presented to the commissioners at our last meeting, just so they would have an idea of where we’re at,” Crumpton said. “After that, we met with the Lee County Grow Play Succeed group (which was instrumental in supporting the passage of the complex), several of the youth sports leagues, and representatives from Downtown Sanford Inc. and the Sanford Tourism Development Authority. They all said they supported C. On Monday I’m going to review that with the Board (of Commissioners) and ask them to allow the designer to move forward with C, possibly with some elements from Concept A.”

Crumpton said the middle ground concept cost-wise, Concept B, didn’t have much support. It would feature three 300 foot baseball fields, eight rectangle fields, a championship baseball stadium, and a championship soccer rectangle.

Voters in Lee County approved a $25 million bond to fund the project in the 2020 election, and the Lee County Board of Commissioners approved the land purchase at a cost of nearly $2 million in July of 2021.

Once commissioners have given approval to one of the three concepts, the final planning phase will begin. After a final design has been approved and a bid has been awarded, Crumpton said he anticipates an 18 to 24 month process for completion of the project.