The City of Bartlesville is hoping to completely outsource operations at the Price Fields Sports Complex, a City-owned facility featuring baseball and softball fields and related facilities.
A Request for Qualifications has been issued in an effort to find a qualified management team, City Manager Mike Bailey said this week.
“We have issued an RFQ to gather input from companies interested in taking over operations at the Price Fields Complex and will be working to maximize publication of that in the coming weeks,” Bailey said. “This will include fiscal responsibility and administration of baseball and softball leagues and activities at the complex as well as maintenance of the facilities.”
The complex, located on Tuxedo Boulevard just west of Silver Lake Road, is currently partially managed by the Richard Kane YMCA. The City provides maintenance of the fields and facilities under the current arrangement, which it will no longer do once a new agreement is reached.
The complex has undergone a near-complete renovation over the past several years thanks to voters who have approved funding for the improvements in several General Obligation Bond elections since the project was recommended in the 2009 Park and Recreation Development Plan.
“The renovation has been a multi-phase project that includes the construction of new baseball and softball fields, concessions, restroom and storage facilities, roads and parking lots at the complex,” Bailey said. “To date, voters have approved $8.8 million for the improvements, with the most recent expenditure of $3.6 million allocated for Phase 3 of the project through the 2018 General Obligation Bond.”
Additional phases, should funding be approved by voters in the future, could include street alignment, improved access into and out of the complex, emergency access to the complex, reconstruction of the larger fields on the south end of the complex, additional parking, batting cages and additional storage.
“We will continue to pursue funding for improvements to the complex through future bond issues and CIP (Capital Improvement Project) funding,” Bailey said. “This new agreement will give the manager of the field responsibility, opportunity, and authority. We’re not the first City to use this model, and in fact, most of the successful programs in our area are already doing something similar, including Owasso, Broken Arrow and Bixby. We believe this arrangement will lead to improved recreational league participation and additional regional tournaments, which will benefit not only baseball but our local economy as well.”
Respondents should have experience in organizing leagues and tournaments and be capable of providing for the upkeep of the fields and facilities. The successful candidate will be governed by a volunteer board of directors focused on oversight of the association. Responses will be accepted through Nov. 28.
To view the RFQ in its entirety, including directions on how to submit a response of interest, see Price Fields Sport Complex RFQ. For more information, contact CFO/City Clerk Jason Muninger at jsmuninger@cityofbarlesville.org.