County officials accepted a tourism study for the plans to upgrade the Paradise Coast Sports Complex, split into three stages. Phase 3 work begins in late 2025, adding a multipurpose field, a metal building, restrooms, and a parking lot. This phase of work is expected to cost between $9 million to $10 million.
Phase 4 will add 11 more playing fields and cost an estimated $40 million to $50 million. The new space should boost local sports by 22%, adding $300,000 in yearly earnings. Teams from cold states up north might find it perfect for year-round practice.
"We have attrition in the amount of events that we can attract in the summer because people that travel here from the Northeast and the Midwest," Adrian Moses, who runs the complex, told Gulf Coast News Now.
At $70 million, Phase 5 includes an indoor center that will house courts for volleyball, basketball, and pickleball. Players won't have to worry about Florida's weather anymore.
FC Naples, the area's first pro soccer squad, calls Paradise Coast Sports Complex home. They've got smart tech too - a system that spots lightning before it strikes, keeping everyone safe when storms roll in.
Adding these new spaces could help boost tourism during the summer by hosting baseball and softball tournaments, which could boost hotel bookings and stimulate economic growth.
