OCEAN CITY, Md. - The Ocean City Council and Mayor Rick Meehan voted unanimously to move forward with a purchase contract to develop a regional sports complex in Worcester County.
The proposed complex would sit on about 198 acres, off of Route 50 and Old Ocean City Road.
(Town of Ocean City)
This site is the second proposed location, three miles west of the original site considered. Officials say this new site is nearly twice the size, giving more flexibility for the design. This change comes after the originally-planned site caused local pushback.
The Mayor and City Council say the proposed complex will not be funded through property tax revenues, instead they say they plan to use occupancy tax revenues, state funding, and other available funding sources.
Officials say the complex is envisioned as an indoor and outdoor sports complex, with capabilities for hosting tournaments and events while expanding the town's ability to bring visitors outside of the traditional summer season.
They say the facility is also expected to create more opportunities for local schools, youth sports, and community programming.
“This is an important milestone for a project that has been carefully evaluated for more than a decade,” says Tom Perlozzo, Ocean City Tourism and Business Development Director.
The town says for next steps, they will continue to work with the Maryland Stadium Authority on planning and development.
