Bradenton is gearing up to turn LECOM Park and the surrounding Ninth Street blocks into a year-round sports and community hangout, not just a spring training pit stop. City leaders are calling the makeover the "City Park" project, and say it will bring new ballfields, extra parking and a Community Resource Center focused on youth programs and workforce development. The build will roll out in phases over the next several years, with some pieces expected to open before the full complex is finished. Nearby businesses are already eyeing a steady bump in foot traffic long after the last spring training pitch is thrown.
What the City Park plan includes
City documents lay out a plan for three new baseball fields, expanded parking, a splash pad, concessions and a Community Resource Center that would host youth programming and workforce services, according to the City of Bradenton. The same project page names Fawley Bryant as the design architect and notes the site is being prepared to handle state, regional and national tournaments.
Cost, schedule and phasing
City leaders have set aside roughly $30 million for the work, and Spectrum Bay News 9 reports construction could begin as early as May, with at least one field expected to be ready before the next spring training season. Mayor Gene Brown told reporters that tournament play alone could generate more than $20 million in annual economic activity for local businesses. Officials say the work will be done in phases, with full buildout targeted for around mid-2028.
Neighbors and businesses
Mayor Gene Brown said the project brings back an old name, "City Park," and that he wants it to draw residents for more than just baseball, according to Tampa Bay 28. Across from the ballpark, nearby business owner Monty Hardesty, who has run a tire shop there for more than five decades, recalled baseball greats who have taken the field at the site and said long-time neighbors know change is coming as the city pulls together property for the project.
Funding and infrastructure
Officials recently landed additional federal Community Project Funding to help cover stormwater work and safety upgrades tied to the park expansion, with local reporting noting that about $3 million of the allocation will go toward stormwater improvements, according to Pulse of Manatee. The city project page also notes that the effort is being planned with Manatee County, the School District of Manatee County and the Police Athletic League in order to pair sports tourism with direct community services, according to the City of Bradenton.
What’s next
Phase One is expected to kick off after the conclusion of 2026 spring training, and local outlets report that the city has posted renderings and fuller plans online for public review, per Tampa Bay 28. Officials will move into permitting and coordination over the coming months while staging construction so some parts of the complex can open even as other elements are still being built, Spectrum Bay News 9 adds.
