Manatee County approves $7 million Little League complex in Lakewood Ranch
Manatee County commissioners approved three new Little League fields in Lakewood Ranch to address the needs of the rapidly-expanding area.
The three new fields will be located at Country Club East Park in Lakewood Ranch near Lorraine Road and Robert Willis Elementary School. Commissioners approved the guaranteed maximum price of $7.2 million by a 5-1 vote, with Commissioner Bob McCann in opposition.
It will take about 14 months to build the fields at the 15-acre public park owned by Manatee County Government. Funding has been in place for this project from the county’s Capital Improvement Plan since fiscal year 2024.
While county staff emphasized the importance of the fields to accommodate the thousands of children in Lakewood Ranch, some neighboring residents said they’re concerned about the increase in noise and lighting that will come with the fields.
Baseball fields planned to address growth
Molly White, the county’s director of sports and leisure services, said Lakewood Ranch’s youth population increased by an estimated 5,000 children from 2020 to 2024. However, no new Little League fields have been added since 2006.
That led to county officials identifying this as an urgent need in 2024.
“At this time, the county is fulfilling the original commitment by updating this underutilized land to meet the needs of the county and enhance the passive opportunities used today,” White said.
Lakewood Ranch Little League is the largest league in Manatee County, according to county staff. The league has 53 teams with over 700 players.
“We have nothing but the best intentions for Lakewood Ranch, for the community and for the county at large,” Lakewood Ranch Little League President Alan Dolhi said. “And this park, these baseball fields, will only help encourage that.”
Adam King, a Lakewood Ranch Little League coach, told commissioners the league has “grown dramatically,” while the limited field capacity is causing issues. He said the league has tried sharing facilities with other leagues, scheduling later practices and using any space they can find.
“Despite these efforts, we’re approaching a point where our children have to be turned away simply because there’s nowhere else for them to play,” King said. “If we do not act now, this will become our reality.”
Neighbors debate potential noise disturbances
Country Club East Park is already an existing 15-acre park with a playground and open space where neighbors say they walk their dogs and enjoy the outdoors. It also has a pavilion and bathrooms, which means cost-savings for the new baseball field expansion.
While county staff said the baseball fields will enhance the passive park, neighbors fear the fields will be a nuisance.
Nancy Haas, president of the Country Club East Homeowners Association Board, said the residents of her HOA are opposed to the fields because they worry about increased noises with crowds late at night, tailgating and bright lights.
She also said the taxpayers are the ones paying for the fields, yet most will be excluded since they don’t play Little League.
“If the ball fields are approved, all that changes. Fences will block the children, and restrictions on using the ball fields will be enforced,” Haas said. “The park will no longer be a gathering place to run and play, but a fortress reserved for children in Little League at the expense of those who are not.”
However, other residents saw the new baseball complex as a no-brainer.
“I’m surprised I have to stand here today and just vote for baseball fields at a park,” said resident Marcie Hackman. “I guess I see it differently. I see baseball parks being a huge addition to this green space.”
When it came time to vote, Commissioner George Kruse told concerned neighbors that the county tried accommodating nearby residents by reducing the number of fields from four to three, preserving some of the open space at the park.
“This is what we want to see. We want to see Manatee County thriving,” Kruse said. “We want to have families move here because there’s places for their kids to play.”
McCann, whose district includes the park, said District 1 and 5 are “under attack” from new development. While he understood the need for more fields, McCann said he wished it wouldn’t be so “adversarial.”
“Now, obviously, you know, I want everybody to be able to play baseball,” McCann said. “But, you know, the thing is that we really need to start listening to the people in this county, because if you don’t, you’ll hear them in November.”
McCann asked if he could abstain from voting since he saw both sides of the argument, but ended up casting the one vote against the project that passed 5-1.
