A new $12 million indoor sports facility could be built near Bettendorf’s massive TBK Bank Sports Complex on property east of Middle Road and north of Forest Grove Drive.
The Bettendorf City Council heard details on Monday, Sept. 18, on a resolution that would amend the development agreement between the city and Middle & Forest Grove, LLC and FG80 Holdings, LLC. (Those investors are in the midst of building a multi-million-dollar sports facility. It includes more ballfields, a three-level golf entertainment facility, a new hotel and near the TBK Bank Sports Complex.)
Under a proposed resolution to change part of those plans, the outdoor additional fields would be replaced by a $12 million sports building that would span about 100,000 square feet.
Aim is year-round use
The new sports building, which could be completed by the end of next year, would include “indoor turf fields for year-round use, including many sports, such as baseball, softball, soccer, football, lacrosse, etc. This facility will be in addition to the construction of the golf entertainment venue that is already under construction,” according to information presented to the Bettendorf aldermen Monday night.
If approved, the new sports building would be built just north of the new golf entertainment venue now under construction.
The council heard some of the details of the proposed facility during its Committee of the Whole meeting. It is expected to vote on the amendment resolution during the regular council meeting tonight (Tuesday, Sept. 19), which begins at 7 p.m.
On Monday, Assistant City Administrator Jeff Reiter presented the resolution terms to the council. Under those terms, the developer will have until Dec. 31, 2024, to complete the new indoor facility. (The outdoor fields were expected to be done by the end of this year.)
Also, the city will have until Jan. 1, 2026, to complete a pedestrian bridge. (Originally, that bridge was to be done by Jan. 1, 2025.)
How Bettendorf benefits
Mr. Reiter also presented the council with a list of benefits of the amendment to allow the construction of the sports building. Those include:
- Year-round playability in the new indoor facility. (This will mean more money for the city, such as more hotel/motel tax, more sales tax, more $5 per room per night fees, etc.)
- An indoor facility will yield a higher taxable valuation.
- Added acreage for more commercial development.
- More time to complete the pedestrian bridge and more tax increment financing (TIF) dollars to help support the construction of that bridge.
- The completion of roundabouts in the area about six months ahead of schedule.
The original development agreement between the city and Middle & Forest Grove, LLC and FG80 Holdings, LLC was announced in February of 2022. At that time, the entire project was expected to cost about $75 million.
It is also expected to bring $250 million in direct economic impact and will add more than 5.8 million visitor days to over the next 10 years, Visit Quad Cities said.
