O’Fallon Parks Department working with all soccer clubs on field access
The O’Fallon Parks and Recreation Department is currently working with soccer clubs on lease agreements and should be able to accommodate requests.
That’s the word from acting director Andrew Dallner, who gave updates to the council’s Parks and Environment Committee on Monday, June 14, regarding the field allocation process and a rental summary for the Family Sports Park.
Dallner said they were providing the information, and will continue to report monthly in an effort to create more transparency regarding operations.
The department has come under scrutiny after a merger between the city’s KiXX United Soccer Club and Metro East Legacy FC of Belleville to form Metro Alliance was announced April 6. Details about a contract signed March 22 were not disclosed to city officials until later after legal action was threatened by a competing club, Gateway Rush.
The department is undergoing an internal audit and the former department director, Mary Jeanne Hutchison, is no longer employed by the city.
Dallner told the committee that included vice-chair Gwen Randolph and members Dennis Muyleart, Christopher Monroe and Roy Carney, that despite what people are saying on social media, the parks department has communicated with the clubs who want to use the local fields. Chair Jerry Albrecht was on vacation and absent for the meeting.
“We’ve had conversations with all the teams this past week, and it’s looking really good,” Dallner said. “We have had a lot of back and forth between all of the teams. We have a good relationship with the teams despite what you’ve heard on social media. We’ve known each other for 15 years.”
Dallner explained the St. Louis Youth Soccer Association is the league that all the clubs belong to, and they schedule games — estimating approximately 10,000 games — for member teams.
“A lot of good things come out of that,” he said.
The clubs are amid getting their teams together and will be requesting dates in late June and early July, Dallner said.
Other aldermen attended the committee meeting.
Alderman Todd Roach asked what a feeder program for Metro Alliance is. Dallner explained the O&S program has two recreational leagues that feed into Metro Alliance.
After the meeting, Alderman Nathan Parchman said he was encouraged by the ongoing cooperative efforts.
“The city staff has worked hard to make the schedules work,” he said. “I’m proud of their efforts. Pending agreements with Gateway Rush and Scott Gallagher, we should have a very good set-up that will benefit the city, citizens and the other clubs.”
The Family Sports Park has a soccer complex that includes eight lighted all-weather synthetic turf soccer fields — one that is a championship soccer arena — and four premium grass fields and two convertible all-weather soccer-baseball fields added in spring 2018. The availability of the two additional fields will be posted online for rentals.
The state-of-the-art soccer complex, which cost $4.58 million, was part of the Destination O’Fallon proposal in 2016, an economic incentive to attract regional and national tournaments. It was funded by an increase in the city’s hotel/motel tax from 5% to 9%.
Memorandum of Understanding
The city and Metro Alliance have entered a Memorandum of Understanding regarding annual rental of fields in the O’Fallon Family Sports Park.
The field rental rate at $60 per hour during high season (September, October, November, February, March, and April) and $50 per hour during low season (May, June, July, August, December, and January).
This term is for one year and rental rates will be evaluated on a yearly basis.
Metro Alliance indicated O’Fallon would be its home field. In addition to leasing up to five fields for training, they have committed to three annual tournaments, three summer camps and additional league games for rentals. Metro Alliance will also use two fields at the Belle-Clair Soccer Park in Belleville.
In a scheduling matrix explained at the June 1 Committee of the Whole meeting, first priority for field use are groups that include O’Fallon taxpayers — KiXX (former), Metro Alliance, Styx Lacrosse, School District 90, O’Fallon Township High School, Southwestern Illinois College, and so forth — but not exclusively, Dallner said.
Additional soccer field details
Second are those groups who have a significant economic impact potential — league games from St. Louis Youth Soccer Association, Elite Clubs National League, and Southern Illinois Soccer League. Third are large groups and fourth are other groups.
St. Louis Scott Gallagher Illinois and Gateway Rush are among the regional clubs seeking access to the fields.
Dallner provided figures on field rentals from Feb. 22 to May 27, from 5:15-8:15 p.m.
St. Louis Scott Gallagher Illinois used the fields 56 times, for 168 hours total. Their tournament had 200 teams playing 300 games, and players were from nine states. Revenue was $11,000 for field rentals.
ECNL had 11 rental dates for 55.5 hours of games and practices, with revenue of $3,885. Gateway Rush had 81 rental dates for revenue of $14,200. Metro East Legacy spent $10,000.
Gateway Rush had 81 rental dates for revenue of $14,200. Their tournament brought in 84 teams from two states for 129 games for $12,800. That was done because a tournament was canceled for weather.
Metro East Legacy spent $10,000 on a tournament held May 1-2.
KiXX used the fields for 441 hours, and paid $22,970 for rental.
More on the dollars and cents
The Metro East Football Club, which is an adult league that plays Thursday and Sunday nights, brought in $6,375 from March 12 through May 16.
“We couldn’t be happier with they way they have been performing,” Dallner said.
The total revenue for the soccer fields is $95,382 to date this year.
Dallner noted that concessions sold at baseball tournaments and games was $83,022, which is higher than soccer. Baseball field rentals brought in $36,885.
This story was originally published June 15, 2021 at 12:26 PM.