To: Parks and Recreation Commission Members and Staff
From: Jeff Smullen, Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation
Title
Draft Memorandum of Understanding with Colorado Classic Baseball
Body
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Executive Summary
Colorado Classic Baseball (CCB) has approached the Town to inquire about the potential to enter into a partnership agreement to construct fields at Cobblestone Ranch Park. The Town is already investing $5.6 million in park improvements at Cobblestone Ranch, to include picnic areas, playgrounds, bike features, parking, landscaping and infrastructure; however, the Parks and Recreation 5-year Capital Improvement Plan does not include funding for any additional improvements and it is unlikely that additional funds will be directed toward the park for quite some time. The park master plan does include ballfields and multi-use athletic fields, so the proposal to place baseball fields at Cobblestone Ranch is consistent with community vision.
CCB is a Douglas County based baseball tournament company partnered with Five Tool Baseball. CCB runs tournaments throughout the Rocky Mountain West and coordinated 4,500 teams over the past year. CCB reserves fields throughout the Front Range of Colorado including fields from Castle Rock at Metzler Ranch Community Park and the Douglas County School District. CCB is interested in creating a baseball complex in Castle Rock as a base of operations. CCB has explored the potential to acquire private land to construct a facility, but a privately owned facility is cost prohibitive due to the combination of land and development costs.
CCB’s proposal includes three full-sized baseball fields with additional fields in subsequent phases, which could include two additional fields between the park entry road and the Cherry Creek, along with a championship field and indoor sports venue in the area shown on the park master plan for ballfields / indoor facilities (Attachment B). CCB is also interested in additional fields at the northern end of the park.
Town staff are actively working with CCB on a draft of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) (Attachment A) to present the potential partnership to the Commission for review and for future Town Council consideration. The purpose of the MOU is to form the basis for the parties’ continued due diligence and negotiations with the goal of developing future definitive and binding agreements, likely through a land lease agreement, required to bring the project to fruition. No contractual or other legal rights or obligations are created by execution of the MOU. Rather, the execution of the MOU signifies that the parties have identified mutually acceptable general parameters for the project and their commitment to continue concerted and good-faith efforts to develop the project.
CCB has indicated the potential ability to fund $4 to $5 million for field development. CCB funding does not include the cost of parking and infrastructure needed to serve the fields. The MOU draft places the development responsibility for parking, utility extension and overlot grading to the boundary of the proposed lease area on the Town. The Town may be able to commit additional funding toward the expenses listed above as the improvements will benefit park users and Castle Rock teams.
Staff will begin working with CCB to fully scope the project and will work toward a formal lease agreement if the MOU is approved.
Attachments
Attachment A - Draft MOU
Attachment B - Cobblestone Ranch Park Master Plan
Attachment C - Cobblestone Ranch Park Phase 2 Site Plan
Attachment D - Cobblestone Ranch Park Phase 2 Renderings