ERIE, Pa. – Bob Catalde plans to redevelop Family First Sports Park and has a vision to make the sports complex one of the best in the eastern part of the United States.
Thanks to new state funding, his dream might become a reality.
The sports park, which will soon be the Erie Athletic Team Training and Sports Complex, received $3 million in state redevelopment assistance capital program funding after a year of anticipation.
Catalde, president of Greater Regional Erie Athletic Team Training, Inc., or G.R.E.A.T.T., plans to grow the Summit Township sports park.
The current complex is home to soccer fields, basketball courts and a driving range, but Catalde’s goal is to turn the complex into a premiere sports park.
The transformation project will include baseball, lacrosse, soccer and football fields, along with ice rinks.
The sports park, which requested $8 million, was one of five projects in Erie County to apply for the state funding.
Scott Enterprises and Erie Events requested funding for projects. Those projects could be funded by the end of year.
More than 300 projects across the state applied. The complex was one of 42 projects that were granted funding.
Sen. Sean Wiley and Flo Fabrizo said this project took a lot of persuasion in Harrisburg.
“You have to look at the economic impact that it’s going to have,” Wiley said. “We are going to fill hotel rooms across this area. We are going to bring people in and introduce people to this area and anytime we do that people fall in love with us.”
Five national tournaments are already looking to come to Erie, something that has Rep. Flo Fabrizio excited.
“It goes back to those national tournaments that we once had,” Fabrizio said. “We’re talking not only soccer, but basketball, we are talking softball, we are talking a myriad of sporting events.”
Catalde could not comment on the project until the purchase agreement is finalized.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

It’s Never To Late To Save Your Program Money !
Check Out Our Insurance Program Today !

www.sadlersports.com/soda