More playing fields may be in Maricopa’s future

One of the intents of commercially developing Copper Sky is to bring sports tournaments to the park. While the 98-acre Copper Sky may seem vast compared to Pacana Park, its limitations in that ultimate purpose become apparent when it does host a multi-team event for soccer, baseball, softball, flag football or, as evidenced in December, rugby.

When current fields are filled with tournament play, other youth teams are sidelined. The fields are full more than 30 weekends a year, Community Services Director Nathan Ullyot said, and ideas for additional fields are hovering.

“It’s definitely a goal,” Ullyot said.

Copper Sky has eight multipurpose sports fields typically occupied by soccer and various forms of football. It also has three softball fields and a baseball field, though all four can be used by either sport during tournaments.

The City’s Pacana Park has one baseball field, a softball field and multipurpose fields for other sports.

“The next step is to create community fields,” Ullyot said. “We hope to have two or three, something on the north side.”

That could involve an area near The Lakes at Rancho El Dorado as land becomes available near Global Water. Ullyot said there is buy-in from Maricopa Little League and other entities for additional fields.

The commercial development at Copper Sky is beginning with the construction of a La Quinta Inn near the dog park. Shops and housing units are planned for the west side of the Copper Sky property.

The ability to expand to more fields will allow the City to compete with other communities to host lucrative tournaments, Ullyot said. The future hotel is considered a boon, allowing visiting participants to stay in town for multi-day tourneys.