Baseball Heaven Grant Proposal
Recipient: Love’s Grant Committee
Date: TBD

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The Brian Crawford Memorial Baseball Heaven Campus is a transformative youth sports facility designed to drive youth development, community engagement, and economic growth in Shawnee, Oklahoma. This proposal seeks an initial Phase I funding request of $10,000,000, structured as a 20-year note with monthly payments of $92,000, backed by $1.5M in guaranteed financial assets through facility lease agreements, banking partnerships, or reoccurring grants.

Baseball Heaven’s service area will expand from 5,000 students under the City of Shawnee to 49,307 students within the Pottawatomie County Little League, positioning it as a hub for regional sports. The project is expected to generate over $137.3M in Economic Impact by 2030, making it a critical driver for youth engagement and economic revitalization.

Baseball Heaven is an entirely new sports complex designed to meet the growing needs of Pottawatomie County’s youth and to replace outdated infrastructure. The project builds on the success of the Brian Crawford Memorial Sports Complex and reflects a new direction, focusing on transparency, expanded access, and sustainable operations.

Baseball Heaven will feature baseball fields, softball fields, pickleball courts, and indoor training centers to host regional and national tournaments, offering state-of-the-art facilities for youth development and community sports engagement.

Current Planning Stage: Land acquisition is underway, with potential donation or purchase agreements with St. Gregory’s Abbey. Zoning approvals are in progress, and initial environmental impact assessments show the project’s viability for the selected location.

Milestones:
Q4 2024: Land preparation and utility installation.
Q1 2025: Begin Phase I construction.
Q2 2025: Facility completion and event hosting.
Community input has been gathered through forums and discussions to ensure that the design reflects local needs and provides maximum benefits to youth and families.

Total Project Cost: $35,000,000

Phase I Request: $10,000,000 (to fund initial construction and operational setup).

Additional Funding Sources:
Sponsorships from local businesses and corporate partners (e.g., Love’s Travel Stops).
Potential contributions from MLB-MLBPA grants or similar youth sports funding programs.

Financial Projections: Baseball Heaven’s financial model projects total revenue of $22M by 2029, with significant income generated from: Event entry fees, Field rentals, Concessions, and Corporate sponsorships.
The need for this grant is paramount to initiate construction, with projected long-term profitability ensuring continued operations and maintenance.

Community Benefits:

Youth Engagement: Baseball Heaven will serve 49,307 students across Pottawatomie County, offering accessible sports programs and scholarships for low-income families.

Health and Wellness: Organized sports programs will promote physical fitness, mental health, and personal development among youth.

Economic Growth: Projected to generate $137.3M in economic impact by 2030 through increased sports tourism, job creation, and business engagement.

Local business impact: Boost to restaurants, hotels, and retail outlets from regional and national tournaments.

Long-Term Sustainability: Revenue from field rentals, sponsorships, and tournament hosting will provide ongoing financial support, ensuring that the facility remains operational and sustainable.

Potential Vendors and Contractors:

Architectural firms: Working with experienced firms that have a track record of designing community sports complexes.

General contractors: Vendors with experience in sports facility construction will be selected based on competitive bids, ensuring cost efficiency and high-quality results.

Vendor Selection Process: A transparent bid process will be used to evaluate vendors based on experience, cost-effectiveness, and past performance on similar projects.

Phase 1: Site preparation, land clearing, utility installation (Q4 2024).

Phase 2: Field construction, building amenities like restrooms, snack bars, and seating (Q1 2025).

Phase 3: Equipment installation, turf, lighting, final touches (Q2 2025).

Phase 4: Grand opening and operational phase (Q2 2025).

The $10,000,000 grant will be allocated as follows:

Site Preparation: $2,500,000

Field Construction: $4,000,000

Indoor Facilities: $1,500,000

Concessions and Amenities: $1,000,000

Equipment and Turf Installation: $1,000,000

Vendor estimates and bids (included in the appendices).
Architectural designs for the complex (included).
Community letters of support from local officials and organizations.
Economic feasibility studies to demonstrate the projected impact on the local economy.

Oklahoma’s youth sports landscape faces challenges due to the monopolized USSSA operations, which have limited access to affordable youth baseball and softball programs. These operations have increased costs for families, weakened community-based leagues, and restricted opportunities for competition.

Florida Case Study: In Florida, similar monopolization issues were met with a community-focused solution. By transitioning to local governance, leagues restored transparency and offered more affordable programs.
Baseball Heaven aims to implement a similar approach by:
Fostering a community-driven model under Pottawatomie County Little League to ensure long-term sustainability.
Breaking away from monopolized operations, offering local families affordable, accessible sports programs.

Moving from a cash-based compensation system to a salary-based model for umpires is a critical aspect of Baseball Heaven’s Mission. Cash payments have historically led to financial inconsistencies, legal complications, and a lack of transparency in many youth sports leagues.

Financial Stability: Offering umpires consistent pay and benefits.

Professional Growth: Ensuring that officiating standards are elevated through structured compensation.

Alignment with Best Practices: Adopting this model will align Baseball Heaven with national standards for transparency and integrity in youth sports.

Baseball Heaven is poised to become a transformative project for youth sports in Pottawatomie County, providing regional and national tournament opportunities while driving community engagement and economic growth. The requested grant funding of $10,000,000 is essential to initiating construction and unlocking additional funding from other sources.