TCC Requests $1 million from Blueprint to Enhance Athletic Facilities

The Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency Board of Directors (IA Board) is scheduled to vote on the Tallahassee Community College (TCC) $1 million request for funds to upgrade athletic facilities at the May 27th meeting.

On May 17, 2021 TCC requested consideration from the Blueprint of a $1 million proposal to enhance multiple athletic facilities. TCC believes the approval would bolster its hosting of future sports tournaments while bringing in additional tourism to the Tallahassee community. The proposal follows the precedent set by the IA Board’s approval of a $10 million tax allocation to fund the repairs of Florida A&M’s Bragg Memorial Stadium.

TCC leaders note that matching funds in the amount of $1.5 million will be provided by a mix of foundation and grant funding, totaling a $2.5 million investment in TCC’s athletic facilities.

The specific improvements will be going towards the Eagles Ballpark and LifeTime Sports Complex and they include the following renovations for both baseball and softball: a new fence enclosure with signing, new scoreboards, new batting cages, improvements to the grandstands such as 150 additional new seats, roof enhancements, new backstop netting, and improvements to the press box.

In the LifeTime Sports Complex, TCC proposed that they would improve the weight rooms by getting new equipment, lighting, and flooring. They would also use the funds to update the locker rooms and the shower rooms in the complex.

An economic impact analysis was conducted by TCC prior to the IA Board request and found that the new improvements to the athletic facilities would affect the local economy by creating 21 new jobs and predicted that a year of TCC-hosted events could exceed over $2.3 million, nearly matching the entire budget of this project.