Another phase of improvements on the East Lansing Soccer Complex will be discussed today at the East Lansing City Council's work session.
Since its construction in 1996, the complex has undergone steady renovations to the seven fields.
"The initial construction just installed the fields with underdrainage and irrigation, and some gravel parking lots," said Wendy Wilmers-Longpre, assistant director of East Lansing's Parks, Recreation and Arts program.
Phase IV-B of the project would include constructing a team building, with restroom and locker facilities for two soccer teams, press boxes, a central storage facility and an admission booth, Wilmers-Longpre said.
Bathroom and concession facilities and lighting are some of the features that have been installed in previous phases of the improvement project.
The complex encompasses three Olympic-sized fields and four youth-sized ones, and hosts the East Lansing High School's boys' and girls' teams, as well as youth soccer and several club teams from MSU, City Manager Ted Staton said.
"I would say with each generation of soccer parents, somebody's going to have an idea about how to better improve this facility," he said.
Future changes could include additional lighting, or converting one of the natural grass field to artificial turf, Staton said.
"Some of the purists love that we have these top-notch natural grass fields, but we host championship games so people feel we need an artificial field," he said.
Although the soccer complex might not appeal to all of East Lansing's citizens, since the city undertook the project it should be completed, Councilmember Beverly Baten said.
"Living in East Lansing, if we're going to do things, we should do it right and finish it up," she said. "It looks to me as if we're going to finish up the project as a first-class soccer complex."
The council also will decide on a contract option with Video Professionals, to replace some of the services lost as a result of the expiration of the city's franchise agreement with Comcast.
A redevelopment plan, part of the Virginia Avenue project, also will be discussed.
