Jackson, school district acquire ballfield, land

It took five parties to agree, but five years after Whitey Herzog Stadium was built, the ballpark will be owned by the school district and the surrounding 20 acres will be part of Jackson's Parks and Recreation Department.

"It was kind of a perfect storm," Jack Litzelfelner Jr. said.

The city and school district signed a contract Tuesday with the local Clark family to buy 24 acres near the new Jackson Civic Center, with four going to the school district around the baseball field. The property included pieces owned by Bobby and Jane Clark, Ron and Marcia Clark and Clark and Sons excavating company.

The Southeast Missouri Medical Center Inc. group provided the money for the ballfield itself from the Jackson Area Baseball Association and has agreed to donate the stadium to the school district -- with the understanding the district will put up lights and build concession stands, restrooms and add parking.

Litzelfelner, president of JABA, said leadership from Jackson Mayor Dwain Hahs and school superintendent John Link was crucial in speeding the negotiations.

"I guess I think the point of emphasis was that we were working to open up the civic center, and the ballfield was looking for another owner," Hahs said. "Gee, this makes sense we work this out. The civic center has a new neighbor we can work with on an ongoing basis."

The Jackson Civic Center should be finished Dec. 1 and will include a 1,900-person FEMA safe room as well as recreation facilities.

The city will pay the Clark family about $425,000 for the 20 acres using surplus funds. Ron Clark said some of the land was donated, and he added it has been the Clarks' intention the school would own the field because he helped envision the project when he coached a 12-year-old Babe Ruth League All Star team. Five years down the road, he said he hopes Whitey Herzog Stadium can host a Missouri High School state tournament for baseball.

"We were willing to work with them to make this happen," Clark said of the deal.

The medical group would not disclose the amount it paid for the stadium but said it was less than market value -- just enough to pay off JABA's debts incurred over the years, Litzelfelner said.

"It was a very reasonable price. They were interested in seeing the field completed and lighted," SEMI president Steve Elefson said. "They were not interested in profiting. We just made sure they were made whole."

The Jackson school district paid the Clarks an undisclosed amount for four acres around the field and is in charge of maintenance and scheduling, along with stadium improvements.

Link said the field will be available during the summer for American Legion baseball games, older-teens baseball tournaments and other events, but it remains up to the district to schedule those events. Any revenue -- sign-up fees and concessions being two examples -- will go to the school district.

The Jackson High School baseball team has been playing games at the stadium since 2010. Link could not say how much the improvements would cost.

"We play baseball at the baseball field that's there anyway, so for us to become owners of that baseball field just allows us to upgrade it and upkeep it and to maintain it a little bit more aesthetically, since it's going to be ours now," Link said. "And then there's room for growth for both the Civic Center and if we wanted to move some other facilities out there athletically to try to get our sports teams together a little bit."

Hahs said the city will work on some of the areas around the field, developing parking, landscaping and driveways. For the remainder of the land, Hahs said there is yet to be a formal plan, but options include keeping a vast green space or developing separate sports facilities.

"We'll always be looking for other opportunities for sports fields," Hahs said.

Link said the partnership is "groundbreaking" for the school and the city of Jackson, and it hopefully will be the first of many collaborative efforts.

"If the school and the city work together for the future of our community, it's a plus," Link said. "We all came together, sat down and came up with what we feel is something that's really going to highlight sports and recreation in the Jackson School District and Jackson community for many years to come."

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

klamb@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3639

Pertinent address: Whitey Herzog Stadium, Jackson, Mo.