By Jennifer Edwards
The Cincinnati Enquirer

WEST CHESTER TWP. - Board members of a private youth baseball organization want to build a complex at one of the township's parks, saying it will generate $340,000 a year in tourism revenues and provide recreation fields that are in high demand.

The catch? The township would foot most of the bill for start-up costs: $177,500. In return, the West Chester Baseball Association will oversee construction, do all maintenance and field preparation, run and pay for operations, and provide the equipment.

The nonprofit sports group wants to build the complex in Beckett Park off Union Centre Boulevard where the township already has two baseball diamonds.

"The need is real and immediate," Gary Robbins of the West Chester Baseball Association told trustees in a presentation last week. "West Chester will build more fields eventually. A partnership with us will save West Chester from ongoing maintenance and administration costs."

The township's share would go to providing the land and site preparation and initial construction costs, less the association's $50,000 contribution. West Chester also would be expected to help with infrastructure needs such as parking and sewer installation, according to the baseball association's proposal.

But in a tight budget year, trustees' reaction was lukewarm. Trustee Catherine Stoker suggested Mr. Robbins meet with Administrator Dave Gully to see if the township's portion of the cost could be reduced.

"I don't think it will fly. We don't have the money," Trustee Dave Tacosiksaid. "The budget is pretty well spoken for next year.

"We've had numerous sports organizations approach us with similar proposals, but it is serving an elite group of players and that kind of bothers me."

The West Chester Baseball Association has been located at the Basil Baseball Complex at West Chester Road and Interstate 75 for 19 years.

Teams from that complex have won numerous championships, association organizers say.

But development in the Union Centre area has caused the agency to lose its lease on the property because the land's value has increased and the owner is looking to sell it, Mr. Robbins told trustees. When the complex closes, possibly as soon as next year, about 300 ballplayers will be without a home field, he said.

The baseball organization wants to remain in West Chester because it is centrally located for players and regional and national tournaments.

Most of the players are of "elite'' level and few times would be available on the fields for the general public to use, Mr. Robbins conceded when pressed by trustees.

E-mail jedwards@enquirer.com.