Calhoun County sports complex shut down
CALHOUN COUNTY, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – Some families in Calhoun County may be looking for a new place to play and practice sports as a popular sports complex appears to have been shut down.
Triple Threat Sports opened less than four years ago on 20th Street in Springfield. Now, the doors are closed and a sign on the door says the business is in deep tax trouble.
The nondescript building was once a hotbed of youth athletics. Now, the parking lot is empty, trophies linger like ghosts, and a notice says the business owes over $40,000 in taxes.
Triple Threat Sports appears to have been another victim of tough economic times, and its closure leaves parents like Jason Lahr in a lurch.
“It's terrible to see it close down,” said Lahr, who coached youth sports at Triple Threat Sports, “but at the same time, good thing we've got the Battle Creek Rec. Department to pick up where it's fallen down.”
“It's getting tougher and tougher, on the flip side, for managers and owners of these businesses who have to pay a mortgage twelve months a year,” said Jeff Hovarter, Director of Battle Creek Parks and Recreation Department, “and energy costs are going up, all their expenses are going up.”
Now, the Battle Creek Parks Department, and the YMCA will try to run Triple Threat's leagues.
“It's tragic, it really is,” said Dan Fullenkamp, CEO of Battle Creek YMCA, “but it's tough business to maintain, but we want to provide our support to the community.”
“Now we're just kind of juggling schedules and seeing what we're going to offer, additional youth floor hockey programs to help pick up some of the people that won't be able to play there,” said Jamie Pinder, Facilities Manager at Battle Creek Parks and Recreation Department.
The Parks Department says the YMCA could run floor hockey, while Full Blast's basketball courts could host junior leagues, but filling out the benches is another task for the parks department. While that department is stretched thin, they seem to be game.
“It's an opportunity,” said Pinder, “that's why I'm in this profession, because I love to put these programs together for youth.”
However, the parks director admits losing the business hurts.
“The loss of Triple Threat, if that does finally happen, it looks like there won't be programming this winter, there are going to be people out there in the community who aren't being served,” said Hovarter.
