Springfield Business Journal_2020-12-07

Council hears another multimillion-dollar soccer pitch Lake Country Soccer is the second complex in as many months proposing new soccer field developments by Christine Morton · cmorton@sbj.net A $10 million upgrade to the Lake Coun- try Soccer Inc. complex at Cooper Park might be in the works at the same time a $12-$16 million multisports complex is pro- posed on the city’s northwest side. At Springfield City Council’s Nov. 30 meeting, members voted 9-0 in declar- ing the intent to financially assist and fully support the Lake Country Soccer complex plan. Bob Belote, director of the Springfield- Greene County Park Board, told council members the Park Board and Lake Coun- try Soccer have had a 35-year partnership, which includes a land lease. Currently, the Park Board owns the land used by Lake Country Soccer who leases it from the board. He said there is a crucial need to up- date the complex. “The facility is older – it’s 25-30 years old on some of the infrastruc- ture,” Belote said in an in- terview with Springfield Business Journal. “We also need it to be competitive with other communities in the sports tourism world.” Belote said the planned improvements include the addition of eight turf fields and enhancements to Lake Country’s 10 grass fields. In a presentation to council, Belote said there is cur- rently only one artificial turf field. Upgrades include a FIFA-approved championship field with seating for 3,500 people, new locker rooms, rest- rooms and meeting areas, according to his presentation. “It would also include a spectator con- course area that would make us a lot more fan friendly with new food and beverage options, fan-friendly zones, picnic play area, additional shade spectator areas for families to kind of hang out while they are there on a busy tournament day,” Belote told council. Belote said the upgrades would allow the city to bid on state championships, as well as national and regional tournaments. He said the improvements would make the park an anchor tournament destination, one of the recommendations made last fall in a sports tourism report by Phoenix-based consulting company Huddle Up Group. Tracy Kimberlin, president and CEO of the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bu- reau, spoke in favor of the project at the meeting, noting the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the travel industry. “This kind of development, at this point in time, is music to the ears of the entire travel industry, particularly the hotels who are in desperate need of any kind of help that can be given,” Kimberlin said. Belote suggested the city invest $5 million upfront on the project and then challenge the soccer communities or private donors to come up with a $5 million match. City spokesperson Cora Scott said the funding $2.00 · SBJ.NET DEC. 7-13 · VOL. 41, NO. 20 Duran flips script with Retro Metro Two months ago, the chef closed Great American Taco Co.; now, he’s got a throwback concept by Mike Cullinan · mcullinan@sbj.net Something familiar to fans of the long- running Metropolitan Grill restaurant is now open in Magers Cross- ing on the southwest side.  Retro Metro, a sis- ter eatery to Metro- politan Grill, opened Dec. 1 at 2150 W. Republic Road, Ste. 104. It replaces Great American Taco Co., which shuttered in October. Both concepts are co-owned by longtime restaurateur Pat Duran and Ty- ler Thompson, of the Thompson Sales Co. auto family. The two continue to operate a Great American Taco Co. restaurant on East Battlefield Road. Both Retro Metro and Metropolitan Grill underwent simultaneous renova- tions of roughly $100,000, Thompson said. New furniture, lighting and finishes were installed at Metropolitan Grill, along with creation of a new menu. Retro Metro re- ceived a new paint job and its namesake restaurant’s chandeliers and furniture. “It’s just like walking into old Metro,” Duran said, noting Retro Metro’s menu has classic dishes that date back to Metropol- itan Grill’s 1994 open- ing. “The kitchen was set up exactly the way I needed it, so it was a really quick flip for us. It’s kind of unheard of to flip a restaurant in 45 days, and it’s just because we really didn’t need to do that much to it.” $100K Investment to renovate Metropolitan Grill and open Retro Metro See RETRO on page 19 See COUNCIL on page 18 Bob Belote : Soccer complex plan calls for eight turf fields. MCKENZIE ROBINSON GOING RETRO Less than two months after shuttering his Great American Taco Co. eatery on West Republic Road, restaurateur Pat Duran launched Retro Metro in the same space. $10M Estimated cost to upgrade and add fields at Lake Country Soccer