$5 million appropriation from Frankfort is financial shot in the arm for construction of Leitchfield sportsplex/rec center

A project aimed at bringing a sportsplex/recreation center to Leitchfield received a massive financial shot in the arm in the form of a $5 million appropriation from the Kentucky General Assembly.

The $5 million appropriation is included in the 2026-2028 state budget, according to the Grayson County Healthcare Foundation (GCHF).

The sportsplex/rec center, including parking space, is projected to cost $9 million. The equipment installed in the building will cost $1 million, according to Pinnacle Sports, which performed a feasibility study on the marketability, costs and revenues associated with such a project.

Pinnacle Sports has worked on similar projects in Madisonville, Hopkinsville and Paducah Tourism on its convention center.

Additional funding for what the GCHF refers to as a Health & Wellness Center, will come from Grayson County Healthcare Foundation (which pledged money but the amount of the donation at this point is unknown) and the Leitchfield Tourism Commission (which has budgeted for such a project for the last two years, Commission Chair Ryan Bratcher previously told the Leitchfield City Council) about contributing to the financing of the project.

A committee will also convene to determine how best to secure the remaining funds for the project.

“The market feasibility study,” according to Pinnacle Sports, “showed that there are six factors that indicate that there is demand and opportunity for a new indoor sports facility” in Leitchfield:

• It enhances the overall quality of life
• It provides a hub for varied sports, recreation and wellness programing
• It can double as an event center space for events, trade shows, health classes, and non-sports related activities
• It can operate year round
• It can possibly stimulate ancillary development such as restaurants, hotels and retail establishments
• Land is available for the proposed project

Pinnacle Sports recommended the development be comprised of a 50,000-square-foot indoor facility that contains two basketball courts, three volleyball courts (which can be used for other sports as well), an 180-foot-by-80-foot synthetic turf field for indoor soccer (that can be transformed into a space for batting cages), and an indoor walking track.

The facility, Pinnacle Sports recommends, would also offer food and beverages as well as seating areas, along with classrooms and meeting rooms.

The site for the center is a 10.4-acre tract on East Carroll Gibson Boulevard, which is being generously donated by GCHF.

Brittany Clemons, Executive Director of GCHF, notes the impact of the $5 million appropriation on the project and the Grayson County community.

“This investment represents a major step forward for our community,” she said. “The Health & Wellness Center will not only enhance access to health and wellness resources, but also create opportunities for youth engagement, attract visitors and tourists, and stimulate local economic development.”

Sen. Steve Meredith, R-Leitchfield, is a major supporter of the facility, as he pleaded passionately with the Leitchfield City Council in October 2025, urging the council not to — as previous councils have over several decades — pass on an opportunity to improve the lives, prospects and futures of local citizens.

Rep. Samara Heavrin, R-Leitchfield, is also a strong supporter of the project as she played a critical role in securing the state funding that made this financial milestone possible.

(Photo: The Capitol Building in Frankfort, courtesy of the Legislative Research Commission)

By Ken Howlett, News Director

Contact Ken at ken@k105.com