ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- Larry Bell and his family have donated up to 100 acres of land within Parks Bell Ranch, a donation totaling more than $5,000,000, to help Odessa City leaders realize their dream of creating a sporting complex within the City.

“The Bell family is ready and willing to be partner with the City of Odessa and other significant corporate groups to make the dream of a high-quality Sports Complex a reality for all Odessans. We know firsthand that quality of life is such an important part of making Odessa a special place to live, work and play. We continually work to make that a part of all our projects,” said Larry Bell.  

The proposed 80,000 – 100,000 square foot Sports Complex will be a Public/Private Partnership endeavor. The overall estimated cost of the project is around $55 million, based on a recent feasibility study done by Synergy Sport Global for the City of Odessa. Based on the recommendations in that report, the City said several local leaders are working through various funding options and “feel confident” that much of the cost can be covered by corporate sponsorships and private donations.  

Current plans for the indoor facility include up to 20 volleyball courts, 10 basketball courts as well as an indoor 200m banked competition track. The outdoor components will include 8-12 multi-purpose fields for soccer, football, and lacrosse and up to 8 baseball/ softball fields. This project has been a labor of love for Odessa City Council Members Mark Matta and Denise Swanner, who have been working on this project for two years.  

The next steps in this process are to work with the consultant to create a more defined budget and site plan for the facility, and to secure corporate sponsorships and naming rights agreements. The goal is to begin the pre-development process by fall 2023 in anticipation of a fall 2024/ spring 2025 opening.