Project Phoenix Update 4/13/22

Today, the Lenawee County Board of Commissioners was given an update on Project Phoenix from the Lenawee County Administration and Sports Facilities Companies (SFC).  

SFC is a project partner that has been collaborating on Project Phoenix since early this year. For 19 years and in more than 2,000 communities, SFC has been a leading force in the growth of sports tourism in America. They manage over 30 venues around the country, including many in rural destinations similar to Lenawee County.  

SFC Firm Overview 

SFC Network Portfolio 

SFC has been thoroughly researching the financial feasibility of Project Phoenix. They evaluated the types of activities that could be included at the site from a granular level and will allow the County to assess costs when building out the Lenawee Community Complex. SFC was given the following priorities from the project team to consider in their research: 

1. The complex should be financially self-sustaining. It should not be a drain on County finances or be a burden to taxpayers.
2. The complex should create positive social and mental health benefits to Lenawee County that will have significant social impact.
3. The complex should make Lenawee County a more attractive place to live for prospective residents, reducing the trends in population decline.
4. The complex should provide access to residents for sports, recreation, wellness, community, and civic activities.
5. The complex should drive significant economic impact by becoming a regional destination for sports and events in order to benefit Lenawee municipalities and businesses financially. 

Today, SFC presented their findings to the Lenawee County Board of Commissioners. They offered two potential models for consideration, one large and one small. The larger 211,000 sq ft model, which includes an indoor turf field and a family entertainment center, has projected hard construction costs of just under $51 million. The smaller 130,000 sq ft model does not include the indoor turf space and family entertainment center and reduces the size of the outdoor diamond flex fields to 300 ft. The projected hard construction costs of the second model is approximately $35 million. 

SFC created pro formas for each proposed model and presented their respective potential revenues and economic impact. 

Pro Forma – Large Model 

Pro Forma – Small Model

SFC additionally shared real-life examples of the impact this type of complex has had on other communities. 

SFC Case Studies 

Lenawee County Administrator Kim Murphy then gave an update from the Administrator’s Office to the Board of Commissioners on project funding and an update on the project timeline for this year.  

The Project Phoenix team has been primarily focused on raising funds for the most immediate phases – Environmental and Construction. The team has identified about $54 million in non-county funding available for these phases, and more funding opportunities are discovered daily. To date, the team has applied for about $29 million in project funding.  

Project Funding Update – Non-County Sources 

Murphy then shared a high-level timeline for the remainder of 2022, highlighting major milestones and decisions that will come before the board. 

Project Timeline Overview – 2021-2022 

Murphy concluded by requesting the Commissioners to review all the data they were presented with today and to contact her office with any questions that they may have in order to make informed decisions regarding the future of this project.