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BPG co-founder Rob Buccini, left, and New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer, formally signed a 25-year deal that will grant BPG Sports the right to develop the Kirkwood Soccer Complex off Del. Route 9. | DBT PHOTO BY KATIE TABELING[/caption]
NEW CASTLE — The Buccini/Pollin Group has inked an investment deal with New Castle County that will bring a $16 million 60-acre sports complex to the area just off of Delaware Route 9.
The 25-year deal means that BPG, through its sports management company, will provide funding for synthetic turf fields, stadium lights and other indoor facility improvements at the Kirkwood Soccer complex on River Road. Site work is slated to begin in the next six months once permits are secured.
“This will become a destination for those who live throughout the region as well as a local facility for all people who live in the area,” BPG co-founder Rob Buccini said on Tuesday morning. “I think when we come back over the years, you’ll see the continual improvement here.”
Under terms of the deal with New Castle County, BPG will pay the county $5,000 per year in licensee fees, as well as 3% of gross profits realized from the facility. BPG will also contribute $50,000 per year in scholarships to youth athletes. The county has an option to renew the lease after 25 years.
BPG also committed $3.9 million as a part of the investment to resurface the existing fields over the course of the agreement. The first phase will include outside turf fields, while the indoor facility will be upgraded after that, BPG officials said.
New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer said that the new agreement marked a new day that would strengthen athletics in the county as well as offer a top-notch venue for the region.
“Sports has a tremendous impact on our community, and youth sports go beyond the cultural and health aspects. There’s a tremendous financial impact that it can also have on our region,” Meyer said. “Part of our view is that there’s a revenue share, so when this facility benefits, the taxpayers get a return.”
For close to 30 years, youth recreational leagues and some adult leagues have played on the 14 grass and turf fields at the Kirkwood Soccer complex. In the last couple of years, club sports attendance has been dropping off. New Castle County officials believe part of that decline is the number of newer or improved facilities close by, like the DE Turf complex in Frederica.
While BPG is well-known as Wilmington’s largest developer and one that has made serious investments in Philadelphia and recently Pittsburg, it's also been building a name in the sports world. BPG Sports is part of the reason why the Philadelphia Union has become one of the most successful franchises today, as Buccini, his brother Chris Buccini and Dave Pollin were among the early investors for the team.
BPG Sports has also built the Union’s stadium under the Commodore Barry Bridge as well as the Chase Fieldhouse at the Wilmington Riverfront. The company estimates that 1.5 million visited the Chase Fieldhouse last year, according to cell phone usage data.
But while the Kirkwood Soccer Complex is miles away from Delaware’s largest city, Rob Buccini said that he sees tremendous opportunity in what he called one of the original facilities in the state.
“The location is phenomenal, and to me, it’s the OG of facilities. It existed before Delaware Turf and it’s not to compete with others,” Buccini told the Delaware Business Times. “It’s just the business has expanded so dramatically. And we believe the turf field will be a game-changer.”
Delaware officials have recently taken a renewed interest in sports tourism, a sector that brings in thousands of attendees to see professional or youth sports games and could see millions in visitor spending while here.Â
The state recently saw more than $50 million in funding requests from the inaugural round of the Sports Tourism Capital Investment Fund, of which only $11 million in grants were awarded. A second round of funds, supported by millions allocated by the General Assembly in the Fiscal Year 2025 Bond Bill, will open in the coming days.
From New Castle County’s perspective, the new deal with BPG Sports is just what’s needed to fill in the gaps of what’s already available to serve large tournaments that are driving youth sports these days.
“There’s a lot of local families that would love to come here rather than drive 5 hours away for a tournament. The vision behind this was to make this facility more available to families, including those who may not be able to play on a high quality field because they can’t afford the fees,” Meyer said.
Buccini said that sports tourism was a critical part in diversifying Delaware’s economy. He pointed to the support that youth sports brought to Wilmington restaurants during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.Â
“No one was coming downtown for a while, and the only people who were were sports parents. I’m talking about the high school basketball league who brought families and then people went to Iron Hill afterwards,” he said. “When you talk to some of the restaurants on Market Street, it’s become the biggest piece of their business.”
