By Marvin G. Cortner
Editor

The Harmony Development Company has landed the proposal to build eight amateur sports ball fields in its Harmony community using $7.5 million of Osceola County lodging tax money.

The County Commission voted unanimously Monday to negotiate final agreements with the company for the project, intended to increase overnight stays in the county and generate additional lodging taxes, officially called tourist development taxes. County staff had recommended the Harmony proposal as the only one that was workable using the funding available.

Two other proposals had been under consideration, one from Avatar Properties for a site across from Osceola Heritage Park, and the other from the Falcone Group for a site in the Rolling Oaks development off West U.S. Highway 192 near State Road 429.

“Harmony is very pleased to have been selected as the site for the new sports fields,” Jim Lentz, chairman of the Harmony Development Company, said. “Harmony is committed to make Osceola County’s vision of becoming the amateur sports capital of the world a reality. Harmony will build a world class facility that will not only make playing here a great experience, but will also build on its reputation for environmental stewardship."

Harmony Development’s proposal involves the company donating 81 acres to the county for the project, after which the company would prepare the site and build the facility and related amenities at an estimated cost of $17.7 million.

The company would then sell the improved property to the county for $7.5 million. The county would lease the facility back to Harmony Development, which would operate and maintain it. The difference between the site’s purchase price and the cost to develop it would be paid back to Harmony Development in the form of pre-paid rent over a yet-to-be determined period. Once the difference is paid off, the county would own the facility but the company would continue to operate and maintain it.

Harmony Development also would build an access road from U.S. Highway 192 to the sports facility at an estimated cost of $4 million. The company also would make available for purchase by the county an additional 25 acres for four more playing fields for any expansion.

Commissioner Michael Harford said Harmony Development looked like the only company out of the final three that was “committed” to investing its own money in a project.

“I’m not happy at all that it is on the east side (of Osceola County), but it is the best deal we have now to attract amateur sports to this county,” Harford said.

Commissioner Brandon Arrington said Harmony is “not the dream location” for additional playing fields but it is the “best opportunity” that had been offered.

Commissioner Ken Smith said he wasn’t concerned with the location and that being on the east side of the county away from the tourist corridor would not be a detriment. He also said Harmony’s location relative to the proposed large mixed-use Northeast District south of lake Nona would be a positive as well.

County officials said agreements with Harmony Development relating to where overnight stays would be generated still must be negotiated. There currently is no hotel in Harmony.

When asked about the cost to develop eight playing fields and related amenities at the county-owned Mac Overstreet Park off Pleasant Hill Road south of Kissimmee, County Manager Don Fisher said the price tag would be $21.4 million. Fisher also said the site would require a new access road and significant site preparation work, not to mention the cost to staff, operate and maintain the facility once built.

And when asked about the county being able to attract a professional sports team to the area – such as a major league baseball team for spring training – Fisher essentially said there is no more money available to do that.

Commissioners’ concerns previously over the three proposals were varied, from the Falcone Group project being too expensive to the Harmony and Avatar projects not being in the West U.S. Highway 192 tourist corridor.

In the past, commissioners said they liked the price tag of the Harmony proposal, the location of Rolling Oaks in the heart of tourist territory and the synergy the Avatar site would produce when meshed with the facilities now at or planned for Osceola Heritage Park.

Some of the details of the Harmony proposal are:

• Use of synthetic turf on the ball fields; two batting cages and six pitcher warm-up locations.

• A 2,000-square-foot building that would accommodate ticketing, admissions, administration and restrooms.

• Two 3,000-square-foot two-story buildings housing scouting facilities, media and umpire facilities, with concessions on the first floors.

• A 4,000-square-foot storage building.

• 20,000-square-feet of vinyl shade structures throughout the property for team meeting purposes and spectator sun relief.

• And up to 330 parking spaces.

• The site designated for the new sports facility is about two and a half miles east of Harmony High School on the north side of U.S. Highway 192.