ABILENE, Texas – Many may think of the City of Clyde to be small and quiet. But what could make a small town like Clyde leave a legacy that’s bigger than the city itself? Perhaps something like the brand new Hanner Sports Complex.

Mayor Roger Brown of Clyde said the sports complex is going to make a major impact on the city’s economy.

“We’re small-town, big opportunity,” the mayor said. “This is an opportunity to put all these people crossing over the interstate that now can stop over in Clyde.”

“It benefits not just our children, but our entire community,” Mayor Brown assured.

This complex will set up the athletes at Clyde ISD for success, at least according to Jennifer Wilson, who has a daughter on the softball team.

“This is huge,” Wilson exclaimed. “My daughter Macy is just super excited to play.”

This complex will catch the attention of many people, with the mayor saying it will possibly bring in thousands of people from across Texas into Clyde. He said his hope is that the complex will open up the opportunity for Clyde to have more hotels and gas stations, wanting his visitors to stay in Clyde instead of traveling to Abilene.

“A sports complex like this, that we know brings in this kind of revenue,” Mayor Brown explained, “it’s just beneficial all the way around.”

Ryan Patrick, who handles the sponsorships for the complex, worked with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to find out that this will be seen by 14.6 million people who drive by it on I-20 every year.

We’re looking at a $14 million sports complex off 24 acres of land,” said Patrick.

It will include courts to host games and tournaments of pickle ball, tennis, sand volleyball, a splash pad, six baseball-softball fields and one football-soccer field, according to Sydney Stalbaum, Director of Sales for Hellas Construction. Stalbaum told KTAB/KRBC it will be the largest sports complex in this region – from New Mexico to the metroplex.

“Generations to come – they’ll know this as the Hanner Sports Complex,” said Patrick.

This complex is predicted to be completed in 12 to 18 months, and Patrick explained that there are still numerous naming opportunities on the fields and splash pads for attaching business names to this regional destination.

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“NEW” Amateur Sports Added !