West Michigan Sports Commission Dedicated $13.5 Million Meijer Sports Complex Expansion, Featuring Signature Alro Steel Championship Softball Field

Expanded Complex Expected to Generate Additional $1 Million in Annual Visitor Spending; Includes 20 Pickleball Courts, Two Flex-Use Fields, Redfield Family Donor Plaza and 300 More Parking Spaces

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., May 11, 2026 – Community leaders, sports legends like Lance Parrish, and representatives of Aquinas Women’s Softball gathered at the Meijer Sports Complex today in Plainfield Township to formally dedicate the $13.5 million expansion project – punctuated by first pitches thrown by Aquinas President Sister Maureen Geary, O.P., and Alro Steel CEO and Chairman Randy Glick.

Just 18 months from the first shovels of dirt thrown to start the project, the West Michigan Sports Commission (WMSC) commemorated the improvement and expansion project at an invitation-only ribbon-cutting event today at the complex. The improved and expanded complex can now accommodate 200 more teams annually and generate an additional $1 million in annual spending.

“Today is possible thanks to our generous donors who have been with us along the way,” said WMSC President Mike Guswiler at the event. “Public organizations, private corporations, government agencies and individuals came together, united in a singular cause of creating more spaces for youth and amateur athletes to recreate in West Michigan and infuse dollars into the economy through sports tourism.”

Guswiler, along with Campaign Co-Chairs Deb Kay and Nick Davidson (also National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Vice President), State Senator Mark Huizenga, Campaign Ambassador of Baseball and former Detroit Tiger Lance Parrish, Congresswoman Hillary Scholten, Progressive Companies Principal and WMSC Board Chair Jim Horman, and Alro Steel CEO and Chairman Randy Glick, spoke to guests and ceremonially dedicated the expanded complex with a ribbon-cutting and first pitches thrown at the new Alro Steel Championship Softball Field – a signature feature of the project.

Jim Horman, chair of the WMSC and a principal at Progressive Companies, who provided architectural design services, summarized the project and its major components constructed by general contractor Owen-Ames-Kimball in Grand Rapids.

The complex was expanded on more than 12 acres to the south to make space for the following new assets:

● Alro Steel Championship Softball Field for youth, amateur and collegiate softball games and tournaments, featuring synthetic turf, grandstands, lighting, covered dugouts and a press box

● Two flexible-use diamond fields for youth and amateur baseball and softball plus collegiate softball, with covered dugouts and bleachers

● 20 pickleball courts, including a championship court

● New concession building, new restroom facility, and expanded storage facility

● New playground area

● 300 additional parking spaces

The project also included improving existing elements of the complex, such as installing synthetic turf at the DeVos Family Championship Baseball Field, resurfacing the Nate Hurwitz Miracle Field, and adding bleacher shade structures for spectator comfort.

“Progressive is proud to be a part of this important project that enhances our region’s sports infrastructure offerings and makes us more competitive regionally and nationally at hosting youth and amateur baseball and softball tournaments, and now pickleball.” said Horman. “And the significance of Alro Steel Championship Softball Field cannot be overstated – it adds important gender parity by offering a championship softball field for women and girls in addition to our championship baseball field. We’re thrilled that Aquinas Women’s Softball made this its home field, and we look forward to seeing them and other women’s teams play here.”

Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, attendees were escorted to DeVos Family Championship Baseball Field by the Grand Rapids Gold drumline for a brief dedication of the Redfield Family Donor Plaza made possible by local residents and baseball/softball supporters Mark and Tami Redfield and family. Plaques of baseball bats and balls from the original fundraising campaign to initially construct the complex were moved to the newly refurbished plaza outside of the championship baseball field, which includes a new granite plaque to former U.S. Ambassador to Italy and WMSC co-founder Peter Secchia. Also unveiled was a new, six-foot-tall sculpture by Muskegon artist Ari Norris, who was commissioned to design the bronze sculpture of three bats, a helmet, and a baseball and softball inside a glove to represent the inclusive elements of the Meijer Sports Complex.

Guswiler also mentioned the recently launched Winning Streak Legacy Program where supporters can purchase an engraved brick, bench or picnic table to help sustain the Meijer Sports Complex into the future. Bricks will be installed at the donor plaza, and benches and picnic tables will be placed around the complex. Information is at meijersportscomplex.com/brick-fundraiser.

In addition to serving as the home field for Aquinas Men’s Baseball and Women’s Softball, the Meijer Sports Complex will host 20 travel baseball/softball tournaments weekends through September 2026, including 10 by USSSA and seven by Game Day USA, plus the 2026 NAFA (North American Fastpitch Association) Masters World Series - East Sept. 10-13. It also will be home to Rockford Pickleball Club, who will manage the 20 new public courts and the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Challenger Series Pickleball Tournament Sept. 18-20.

Meijer Sports Complex and Winning Streak Campaign Background A flagship project of the West Michigan Sports Commission, the Meijer Sports Complex is a championship-caliber baseball/softball complex that was completed in 2014, costing $7.5 million and funded through private donations. Opening in 2015, the complex consisted of seven baseball and softball fields, the DeVos Family Championship Field with covered grandstands for 1,000 spectators; Nate Hurwitz Miracle League Field for children with disabilities; warm-up areas, restrooms and concessions; and parking for over 400 vehicles.

The WMSC launched the Winning Streak for West Michigan campaign in October 2022 to fund a $13.5 million improvement and expansion of the Meijer Sports Complex. Co-chaired by NAIA Vice President Nick Davidson and WMSC Board Member Deb Kay with support from Lance Parrish as the Ambassador of Baseball, the Winning Streak campaign raised enough funds to start the expansion in October 2024, completing it in May 2026. The complex has cumulatively attracted 200 weekend travel tournament events, 8,851 teams and 287,657 visitors for a total economic impact for Kent County of $69.3 million in direct visitor spending