West Chester Township is moving forward with a new operating model for the West Chester Baseball Complex that aims to improve financial performance, expand community access, and invest in long-term facility and operations enhancements.
The Township has partnered with Sports Facilities Companies (SFC) to manage the complex. SFC was selected based on the organization’s national expertise and experience in managing similar sports and recreation facilities for local jurisdictions, as well as their collaborative management approach.
“The baseball complex is a valuable community asset. Our goal is to turn the baseball complex into a highly utilized facility that serves the community while also attracting regional visitors to drive our local economy,” said Ann Becker, President of the Board of Trustees. “We look forward to working with SFC to improve operations and financial performance, while also creating more community access and benefit.”
Under the proposed approach, local recreation organizations, schools, and leagues would have greater opportunity to use the complex. The plan also calls for capital investments in facility infrastructure to improve operations and increase revenue from tournaments and events.
SFC was hired after contract renewal discussions with the previous operator were unsuccessful. The Township cited several issues with pervious operations and management, including excessive deferred maintenance, limited financial transparency, lower than expected hotel demand, and lack of community access or programming.
“Sports Facilities Companies has a strong track record of revitalizing comparable facilities and turning them into highly efficient and valuable assets,” said Township Administrator Lisa Brown. “We are confident that this new collaborative management approach will allow for local control and oversight, while providing a team of national experts to run day-to-day operations.”
Financial Overview:
- A management fee of $180,000 will be paid to SFC.
- Up to $250,000 in capital improvements projects are planned for 2026, which includes improvements to fields and grounds, as well as concessions.
- Overall, 2026 operating costs are projected at about $336,000. Operating costs would be paid from interest income, not property tax dollars.
- All revenue generated from the complex flows back to the Township. While 2026 (Year 1) is expected to operate at a loss due to entering the season about nine months behind on tournament and event scheduling, 2027 (Year 2) is expected to break even on operations.
