It’s no secret 17 Springs is big — and it offers something for everyone.
The sprawling complex is complete with six diamond fields, a stadium, a fieldhouse filled with basketball courts, 12 tennis courts, four full soccer fields and 12 pickle ball courts.
“We want it to be something residents can enjoy,” Millbrook Mayor Al Kelley said. “During the week, we have teams practicing and having games. We have people out here walking.”
The tennis courts have already drawn portions of the Blue Gray tournament that attracts top college tennis teams.
To Kelley’s surprise, pickleball may be one of the locals’ biggest favorites.
“We were first talking about this thing, I had no clue what pickleball was,” Kelley said. “At first we talked about just a few courts. The consultant asked about more. I thought we were crazy when we went to 12 courts.”
The decision to increase the number of courts has been fruitful.
“You can come out here any evening or all day on the weekends and you have to wait for a court,” Kelley said. “We probably could have built a dozen more.”
The Fieldhouse at 17 Springs offers opportunities for indoor sports. It has basketball goals and volleyball nets that come down from the ceiling. The wide open space has even attracted a gun show in the few months since officially opening. Almost every weekend through early fall is already booked.
The diamond fields can host softball up to the collegiate level. They can also host up to U16 baseball. The artificial turf has drawn tournament organizers as the fields are booked almost every weekend through November.
The track around the stadium is attracting interest for meets as well.
The stadium and its layout will allow for outdoor concerts. It was designed so that production companies can pull into the end zone and assemble a large stage. The field would turn into floor seating to accompany the stadium seating.
The stadium will be the homefield for the Stanhope Elmore High School football team this fall. It hosted the Mustang soccer teams already this past spring.
The complex has plenty of sidewalks to walk and plans have them connected to a walking trail.
It is fronted by The Marketplace at 17 Springs, a commercial district that is quickly filling up. Baumhowers Victory Grille is starting to come out of the ground. More restaurants, retail and two hotels are soon to be named.
17 Springs involves five main partners — City of Millbrook, Grandview YMCA, Elmore County Commission, Elmore County Economic Development Authority and Elmore County Board of Education. It’s a partnership unlike any other in the state according to Elmore County Commission chair Bart Mercer.
“What we have accomplished is not only Class A facility but it is how we have done that has gotten the attention,” Mercer said.
Everyone brings something to the table to make the projects come together in each community.
At 17 Springs the YMCA had a donation of property with an idea to create athletic opportunities for area children.
“The property was a catalyst for a lot of this back in 2013,” Grandview YMCA director Bill Meyers said. “We had a very generous family to donate the property, and it allowed us to dream big.”
The county commission, ECEDA and City of Millbrook brought funding to table to add to the scope of the initial project. It will help generate tax revenue to fund projects across Elmore County.
“It’s truly a generational project,” Mercer said.
