Carbon County Commissioners all voted in favor Wednesday evening of constructing a soccer complex at the county fairgrounds.
Possible options for the complex included the fairgrounds and a collaboration with USU Eastern to build a complex on the field where the Durrant school used to sit.
“We’ve spent lots of hours discussing locations and possible partners,” commissioner Casey Hopes explained. “While I believe that the Durrant field is that best location, I think we’re still a ways out and I think the need is there to go ahead and build soccer complexes. I would make a motion to approach the Special Service District for funding for a soccer complex out at the fairgrounds.”
Commissioner Jae Potter agreed with Hopes but thinks that the county is missing an opportunity by going in a separate direction from the college.
“I would just echo that yes, there is a need, but I think we are passing up a great opportunity to partner with the college on many sides,” Potter said. “If we go out there we will walk away from an opportunity to be a great partner there, but we will also walk away from probably $600,000 in benefit that the college would be providing and that would then be displaced onto what the county would have to take on.”
It was agreed beforehand that if the county partnered with the university, USU Eastern employees would take on the full maintenance of the fields. Despite his reserves, commissioner Potter did second Hopes’ motion.
“Commissioner Hopes, I appreciate your motion. Even though I would like to not second that, that would be my stance and my preference because I believe that the best field is here in town, I will second it because the kids need it and because there is an opportunity to move forward at this time but it is with great regret,” Potter said.
After approval from all three commissioners, the decision was made to move forward with plans to construct the complex at the Carbon County Fairgrounds. An estimated time of completion has not been announced.