Southridge Sports and Events Complex
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| Southridge Sports and Events Complex | |
|---|---|
  Location in Washington | |
| Location | Kennewick, Washington, United States |
| Coordinates | 46°10′53″N 119°11′03″W / 46.181350°N 119.184199°W |
| Area | 52 acres (0.21 km2)[1] |
| Opened | March 2012[2] |
| Operated by | |
| Status | Open all year |
46°10′53″N 119°11′03″W / 46.1814°N 119.1842°W The Southridge Sports and Events Complex is a 52-acre (21 ha) development on the south side of Kennewick in the U.S. State of Washington. It is adjacent to U.S. Route 395 between 27th and Hildebrand Boulevard and is near Southridge High School.
The complex has several sports and recreational amenities, as well as a memorial to the victims of the September 11 attacks. The facilities on the complex opened in stages, beginning with the baseball fields in 2011, progressing to the carousel in 2014. The grand opening was in 2012.
Planning and construction of the complex took about ten years, with 42 acres being originally allotted for the complex and another ten set aside for later development.[3] In 2009, Kennewick's city council applied to a grant from the State of Washington for $12.5 million to help build infrastructure in the Southridge area to help foster economic growth. The baseball diamonds were complete by July 2011.[4]
The first official dedication at the complex was the 9/11 Memorial on the southeast corner of the property, which took place on September 11, 2011 – the 10th anniversary of the attacks in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. The event included a home run derby and other sports-related activities.[5] The grand opening of the complex occurred the following March, drawing a crowd of about 200 people.[2]
Shortly before the grand opening, the city council approved the placement of a historic carousel that was originally built in 1910 and placed in the Silver Beach Amusement Park in St. Joseph, Michigan. After spending over six decades in Michigan, the amusement park it resided in closed. It was dismantled and relocated to Roswell, New Mexico. Gesa Credit Union bought the naming rights to the carousel, and it was opened in 2014 after Kennewick invested $830,000 into its restoration.[6][7][8]