Located just north of Birmingham, AL, the City of Gardendale broke ground on the $32 million redevelopments of Bill Noble Park. The sports complex will become a year-round destination for sports tourism and the local community to enjoy equally. The ceremony took place on June 2, 2022, on the site of Bill Noble Park. Construction already started this spring on the sports complex which will feature nine baseball/softball fields, eight tennis courts, eleven pickleball courts and so much more. The venue is slated to be completed by spring 2023.
Gardendale’s Bill Noble Park will be a jewel for Gardendale and the surrounding areas and will surely appeal to tournament organizers who want to be close to I-65. Dale Hyche, Parks & Recreation Director of the City of Gardendale stated “This sports complex will allow us the chance to be considered throughout the entire southern region for upcoming events. The economic impact of driving visitors to Gardendale by attracting and hosting large tournaments allows all residents of Gardendale to celebrate this grand opening.”
The ceremony hosted members from the City of Gardendale, such as Mayor Hogeland, the Gardendale City Council, management partner, Sports Facilities Companies (SFC), and former Mayor of Gardendale and guest of honor, William Noble. The project was announced in 2022 as part of an organized plan to revitalize the park. The design was comprehensive with the city assembling an all-star team that included LBYD Engineering as project coordinator along with Williams Blackstock Architects, HNP Landscape Architect, and Stone Construction.
Mayor Hogeland went on to comment on this momentous occasion, “This is a proud day for not only our city but all of Jefferson County. For many years citizens have come to me saying that they wish we had a park where boys and girls could play together. Well, that time has come. From all synthetic turf fields to tennis, pickleball, football, soccer, lacrosse, beach volleyball, an unbelievable playground, and even a putting green, this park is for the entire family. Then, on the weekends we will flip a switch turning it into an economic development engine that will benefit our local businesses and help us to track new ones as well.”
SFC Account Executive John Sparks added, “As work at Bill Noble Park gets underway, the impact that this facility will have, not only on the city, but the entire region is quite significant. This facility will foster the next generation of youth athletes locally but also drive local business and economic impact.” Sparks went on to state, “We are excited to partner with the City of Gardendale, their Architects, and Builders. This complex will be something both citizens of Gardendale and the surrounding region will all value, while also benefitting from the visitors that will be drawn to this community.”
About Bill Noble Park
Sports Facilities Companies is the national leader in managing and operating youth and amateur sports venues, like Bill Noble Park. The SFC team, led by John Sparks, is assisting the City of Gardendale operationally and will begin hiring for the venue in the coming months, beginning with the General Manager position. For more information, please contact the City of Gardendale at www.cityofgardendale.com. For more information on other venues in the Sports Facilities Network, please visit www.thewsfnetwork.com.