WHITESTOWN, Ind. (WTHR) - Another major youth sports facility is coming to the area north of Indianapolis, but not where first planned. The Little League Central Region headquarters initially picked Zionsville. But nearby Whitestown came in the game late like a relief pitcher to save the baseball/softball complex for Boone County.
A team from Honolulu, Hawaii won the Little World Series on Sunday in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. In two years, the road to Williamsport will go through Whitestown, Indiana. The new Little League Central Region headquarters will include three or four baseball and softball diamonds likely built near Interstate 65.
The Little League International Board or Directors approved an offer from Whitestown during in annual August meeting. The deal is pending completion of a formal agreement.
"It’s not a big job creator, but certainly from a perspective of new people coming to our town and being able to spend money at those retail establishments that we're hoping to build, this will hopefully be a small part of much larger mixed-use type project,” said Whitestown Town Manager Dax Norton.
Norton says Little League will own the facility on about 20 acres. But the total retail development area is about 50 acres.
"That's very exciting,” said Whitestown resident Ross Fisher. “I think it's great that such a prestigious opportunity is coming to Whitestown. I know that we have quite a bit of land available."
Ross Fisher lives next to the Whitestown Lions Club Community Park, which includes with three longtime diamonds. Whitestown does not have a local Little League.
The brand-new facility would host the annual regional tourney in baseball and softball for 13 Midwest states champions (Kansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin).
"I think it will be awesome,” said Whitestown resident Patrick Miller. “It will be awesome for the growth of this community. I have three young kids. It will be something that we can do as a family and go watch some good baseball. It's something that I think a lot of people will enjoy in this area."
Little League was headed for Zionsville, just a few miles west. But the proposed location fell through. Little League officials met with Whitestown officials in June about an offer to keep the project in Boone County.
"We wanted to make sure that this stayed here in our county,” said Norton.
The Central Region Headquarters were located for many years on the eastside of Indianapolis. Little League sold that facility and has been looking for a new permanent home. The small staff has temporary offices in Carmel. The Central Region tournament has been held at Grand Park in Westfield in recent years.
Construction of the diamonds is set to be complete in time for the 2020 Little League World Series tournament.