The city of Lebanon is stepping up to the plate in a big way when it comes to youth sports.
During a recent work session at City Hall on Feb. 12, the Lebanon City Council took its first swing at expanding the Lebanon Sports Complex - and if the early plans are any indication, it’s going to be a major win for baseball and softball in the region.
Building on Momentum
The Lebanon Sports Complex, located at 1455 Murfreesboro Road, opened its first phase last September with five soccer fields, a concession and restroom facility, a playground, walking trail, and pavilion. Now, attention is turning to phase two, which could transform the space into a hub for America’s pastime.
While the plans are still in the conceptual stage - no engineering or design work has been done just yet - the vision is clear: four baseball fields and four softball fields, with flexibility built into the layout. The larger diamonds are expected to stretch about 400 feet to center field, while the smaller fields would measure around 250 feet. And in a smart move for maximizing use, the larger fields could be split into two smaller ones when needed.
Kristen Rice, Lebanon’s Executive Director of Engineering and Planning, noted that the second phase would cover about 88 acres of the 154-acre property. That’s a significant footprint dedicated to the diamond sports.
A Growing Need
Lebanon Mayor Rick Bell emphasized that the new complex will work in tandem with Baird Park - the longtime home of Lebanon Youth Baseball and Softball. That partnership is key, especially considering how much the local leagues have grown.
Lebanon Recreation Director William Porter put it bluntly: “It’s safe to say we need some fields.”
Back in 2001, about 600 kids were registered to play spring baseball and softball. This year?
That number has skyrocketed to 1,500 - and projections suggest it could hit 1,800 to 2,000 in the next three to five years. That kind of growth doesn’t just happen - it speaks to the community’s passion for the game and the need for infrastructure to support it.
Porter also pointed out that the last public baseball or softball field built by the city was Veterans Field in 2001. That’s a 25-year drought in field development - and now, the city is ready to make up for lost time.
Laying the Groundwork
Two key proposals are expected to head to the City Council in the coming weeks. The first would allow the city to purchase three acres of land adjacent to the current complex, creating a new entrance off Walnut Grove Road. Rice called this the top priority in the development process - a crucial connection for the long-term vision of the complex.
The second proposal would authorize the engineering and design work needed to get phase two off the ground.
Bringing in the Big Leagues of Travel Ball
But this isn’t just about serving local kids - it’s also about bringing in big-time travel tournaments that can help fund the complex and boost the local economy.
Enter Perfect Game, one of the most recognized names in travel baseball. Taylor McCollough, the company’s Vice President of Operations, presented to the council about a potential partnership that would see Perfect Game lease the fields for weekend tournaments during the regular season, with expanded use in the summer and offseason.
Perfect Game has been around for more than two decades, starting in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. While it originally focused on showcasing high school prospects, the company expanded into youth tournaments in 2019 - and now hosts around 80,000 youth teams across the country.
“We have full-time staff at every field, every game,” McCollough said, emphasizing the professionalism and scale of their operations.
Mayor Bell and McCollough both stressed that local youth leagues would always come first - but the travel ball component is a necessary piece of the puzzle.
“From my view, this is first and foremost for local people,” Bell said. “But for this complex, we need travel ball, too. We need people coming here, playing, staying in hotels and spending money eating.”
That’s not just talk. Perfect Game projects that the partnership could bring in 1,500 teams and 90,000 visitors annually to Lebanon. For a city investing in its sports infrastructure, that’s a serious return - not just in dollars, but in visibility and community pride.
Perfect Game already has partnerships with cities like Fort Myers and West Palm Beach in Florida, Marietta, Georgia, and Hoover, Alabama - all known for their strong youth sports scenes.
What’s Next
There’s still a lot of work to be done before phase two becomes reality. Bell made it clear that more conversations - and more City Council work sessions - are on the horizon.
But the direction is set. Lebanon is investing in its kids, its community, and its future through baseball and softball. And if the city can pull this off, it won’t just be building fields - it’ll be building a legacy.