- Video shows Hale Middle School and students playing soccer.
- Tim Bennett with East Omaha Athletic Association shares the impact the sports will have on the facility and on the community.
- The facility will offer space for the community and non-profits to host events, tournaments and games with its full indoor field and two outdoor filter fields.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A $38 million facility is coming to an Omaha Public School. Nathan Hale Junior High will be the place, a non-profit plants to bring accessibly sport opportunities to the area.
"Athletics within this community has been under-served a little little bit. We've got great individual stories, but this allows a lot of nonprofits and clubs and groups to have a crown jewel for them to do the great work that they're already doing,"
Tim Bennett the executive director of the East Omaha Athletic Association says the facility will allow for outdoor sports year round.
"Maybe a group of like U-eights or U-nines that come running into the building just excited to be indoor in a cold December day and have Parents be able to see their kids play with soccer or football something where they just don't they can't do it that time of year," said Bennett
Bennett says the facility will have a full indoor field and two additional filter fields outdoor. The main focus is to serve non- profits without a space for sports but also our neighbors.
"There is a massive shortage of athletic facilities and we wanted to make sure that we provided those for the community because athletics is is the blood of of a community and then it needs something to help it grow,"
Families were happy to hear the news.
"I think it will be beneficial for the community...my granddaughter is in track...and I think a lot of other kids could benefit from it," said Edna James
"You know he loves playing football... him and friends love getting out there and playing all the time....I'll let him know about this," said Pam Goodell
Bennett tells me there is not an official date set for completion but the organization is aiming to break ground within the next year and begin building in 18 months.
