Cape Girardeau’s Shawnee Sports Complex to receive $250K grant
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – The City of Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department, through a competitive selection process, was awarded a Local Tourism Asset Development Grant by the Missouri Department of Economic Development for improvements to the Shawnee Park Sports Complex.
The Shawnee Park Sports Complex hosts many local, regional and state softball and baseball tournaments as well as local recreational and competitive softball and baseball leagues.
The $250,000 grant award will be used to enhance the existing Shawnee Park Sports Complex and provide funding for future facility expansion. Improvements include installation of bleacher shade structures on 13 softball and baseball fields, five sets of bleachers for expansion fields, a complex wide public address system and replacement fencing on five softball and baseball fields.
Improvements to the Shawnee Park Sports Complex as well as future development of five youth size fields are projects voters approved as part of the Parks, Recreation and Stormwater Tax in 2018 (PRS). Grant funds received will be used to provide further enhancements to the project.
“We are grateful for this opportunity to invest in the well-being of our residents, and to enhance our tourism assets,” said Cape Girardeau Mayor Stacy Kinder.
“These funds will allow us to implement new features and amenities above and beyond the original scope of the park improvements,” said Cape Girardeau City Manager Dr. Kenneth Haskin.
The Shawnee Park Sports Complex was constructed in 1997 from hotel-motel gross receipts tax revenue.
The complex consists of five regulation softball and baseball fields and a full scale concession facility.
The complex was expanded in 2011 with the addition of three softball and baseball fields and another concession facility.
The DED Local Tourism grants were funded through the American Rescue Plan Act and focused on supporting projects that further the recovery of the tourism, travel, and hospitality industries across the state.
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