Buena Vista Sports Complex construction begins in Laredo

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) – After years of anticipation, progress is finally underway for the Buena Vista Sports Complex, a project long-awaited by Laredo residents after voters approved its construction.

For years, Laredo parents have found themselves traveling to neighboring cities for sporting events, but that may soon change.

On Wednesday, May 22, city officials provided a glimpse into the ongoing construction of the Buena Vista Sports Complex, set to become a major attraction for the city. JJ Gomez, City of Laredo Parks Director, expressed excitement about the project’s scale, stating, “This is going to be probably one of the biggest sports complexes in Texas, not just in the region. Most complexes have maybe five or six fields. This one, we are going to shoot for 10. Later on, when we build Phase Two, God willing, it’s going to have another five fields. So we’ll have 15.”

Gomez explained what Phase One will include and when it’s expected to be finished. “We are gonna build the fields first and then work the way out towards the construction part of the concession stands. We want to try getting you to use the field as fast as we can. The plan is to hopefully get the fields ready first and then work on the rest of the infrastructure working our way out, and hopefully have everything ready in about a year from now. April 2025 is our shooting date and we are trying to have everything ready. This park is going to have ten baseball/softball fields and two multipurpose fields: soccer, flag football, and rugby. There are five different sports that you can use in those multipurpose fields and a playscape for kids to also come and enjoy. That’s what’s going to consist of right now, of what we are building on this phase.”

District 1 Council Member Gilbert Gonzalez thinks the complex will be busy, with over 100 teams coming every weekend. He says it’ll help the city grow. “We know Laredo is a baseball city. We are going to have youth ages five to 13 and adult leagues as well, so we are excited. All this is going to bring economic development the voters voted for these eight years ago and now we are making it a reality.”

Assistant City Manager Jose Valdez Jr. agrees, saying it’ll bring in new businesses and other good things to the area. “It’s going to be the magnet for different businesses to come, restaurants, hotels. We are going to have the fire department station and police substations in the area. My understanding is there’s going to be a hospital in this area. It’s going to be the fruit that is going to bear a lot of return for the city and growth for this area.”

The Buena Vista Sports Complex has an estimated price tag of $45 million. Gomez said the funds are coming from the sports venue tax and not from the city. He added that a water park will be added to the complex by Phase Two.

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