Queen Creek buys Barney Family Sports Complex for more than $11.1M
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The purchase of the Barney Family Sports Complex not only meets the functional needs of the public safety facility, but the location is ideal, and the cost is less than purchasing land and building a new facility.”
Queen Creek officials have announced the recent purchase of the Barney Family Sports Complex for use as a future public safety facility.
The nearly 65,000-square foot facility is at 22050 E. Queen Creek Road on 10 acres. Current operations may continue at the facility through summer 2023.
“Public safety continues to be one of the town’s top priorities,” stated Queen Creek Mayor Julia Wheatley, in a press release. “The town has been evaluating options for a public safety complex to meet the needs of the police department and the fire and medical department. The purchase of the Barney Family Sports Complex not only meets the functional needs of the public safety facility, but the location is ideal, and the cost is less than purchasing land and building a new facility.”
Town staff has been looking into developing a public safety complex to support the various uses necessary for the Queen Creek Police Department and the Queen Creek Fire & Medical Department. The Barney Family Sports Complex, currently operated as a recreational facility, was identified by staff as an improved property capable of redevelopment to suit the town’s needs.
The Barney Family Sports Complex was built more than a decade ago by one of Queen Creek’s founding families, the Barneys. A statue depicting the patriarch and matriarch of the Barney family, Newell and Katherine Barney, stands in front of the complex. Newell and Katherine Barney were the parents of former Queen Creek Mayor Gail Barney, who died last year.
A 2019 Police Services Study by the town identified property and evidence storage as an “immediate need for the new police department. The study identified possible options in the near term to meet department needs such as partnering with Gilbert, leasing available industrial space or expanding the existing Public Safety Building. The town has approved an intergovernmental agreement with Gilbert that expires in 2026, however the Gilbert police chief has expressed an interest to exit that agreement by the end of 2024 due to Gilbert PD’s space needs,” a staff report stated.
Because of this and other issues, the QCPD accelerated the need for addressing property and evidence storage sooner than anticipated.
“At the present time there is not available industrial space that meets the security requirements established by the state. Additionally, the 2019 Town Study also anticipated expansion of the existing Public Safety Building as an option as well. Due to staffing and ramp-up needs within the first year and community needs for the following five years, expansion of the existing building is not recommended for property and evidence but for staffing needs,” the report stated.
Local police agencies strict compliance with evidence-handling standards, chain-of-custody requirements and overall security of a facility compelled staff to evaluate the acquisition and renovation of an existing facility within the community.
According to the staff report, the location of the Barney Family Sports Complex is ideal because it is located next to the town’s Field Operations Facility and the under-construction Frontier Family Park.
“This new approximately 90-acre park, with ballfields, a new aquatic and recreation center, provides an important security presence as well. Based on the town’s studies, acquisition and redevelopment of the property is expected to cost the town significantly less (approximately 35% to 40% less) than the cost of buying unimproved land and constructed a new facility from the ground up. Properties of this size are not readily available on the market, and smaller parcels generally cost more on a dollar per square foot basis than larger parcels. Furthermore, due to the significant increases in construction costs (including both labor and material costs) over the last several years, ground up construction of a new facility is expected to greatly exceed the cost of redevelopment of the existing facilities on the proposed property,” the report stated.
The $11.1-milllion-plus cost to purchase the Barney Family Sports Complex is anticipated to be 25% less than the cost to acquire the land and build a new facility.
Once the renovation is programmed into the town’s Capital Improvement Program, the cost of facility renovations is estimated to be about $45 million, for a total estimated project cost of about $56.1 million.
“The specific funding sources for this project have not yet been identified but will likely include long-term financing that will be repaid with a combination of impact fees and operating budget resources. Staff will develop a financing plan and bring a recommendation to the town council sometime in calendar year 2023,” the report stated.
The deal closed the first week of January. Along with the purchase price, the agreement also included the following points:
The town’s agreement to name the public safety complex developed on the property the “Gail A. Barney Public Safety Complex” or a similar name agreed upon by the parties.
Dedication to the town of the sculpture currently located at the Barney Family Sports Complex to be displayed by the town in a public space to be agreed upon by the parties.
The Barney Family Sports Complex continuing to operate until Aug. 31, 2023, in order to allow the sports leagues that use the facilities to complete their current seasons.
The Barney family had been considering selling the facility and had previously approached the town about the potential purchase. As the town evaluated options for the public safety complex, the Barney family was contacted to see if the opportunity was still available and would work with the needs of the town.
“The Barney Family Sports Complex was founded by my parents, Katherine and Newell, as a place for fun, family and fitness,” Kenny Barney said. “It served as a staple in the community for many years and while this is bittersweet, I know they would be proud to have the family facility contributing to public safety here in Queen Creek.”
Janet Perez News Editor | Queen Creek &
San Tan Valley @AzNewsmedia
Meet Janet Janet Perez joined Independent Newsmedia as editor of the Queen Creek Independent and Florence Independent in 2020. She started her career in 1989 with the Gannett-owned El Paso Times. In 1992, she moved to Tempe and has worked in newspapers, magazines, radio and television. She left Arizona for three years to work at New Mexico State University and Baylor University before returning to work at Arizona State University. Missing the business, she went back to journalism in 2017.
Community: A long-time pet owner, she supports animal welfare causes.
Education: University of Texas at El Paso with a BA in journalism and a minor in political science.
Random Fact: She had a head full of random facts.
Hobbies: Reading, watching documentaries, cooking and playing with her dogs.
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