A new indoor soccer facility is in the works after the Kanawha-Charleston Soccer Foundation sold one of its fields to a local business owner and soccer enthusiast.
The foundation announced on Monday that it agreed to sell a portion of its property at Friends of Coal Fields at Trace Fork to Philip Garlow, who owns Garlow Insurance Agency. Garlow plans to build an indoor facility on Field 5, adjacent to Jordon Field. The building would not only provide a year-round practice space for area players but also help pay off a loan the Kanawha-Charleston Soccer Foundation owes from a previous project.
Garlow, whose three sons play soccer, said he has seen firsthand that area soccer teams "have the talent to compete regionally - what we lack are the facilities."
"They're playing on grass and, in the winter, are limited to one-field facilities," Garlow said. He added that travel teams "don't have the resources they need to compete on a head-to-head basis" against other teams from cities such as Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati.
The indoor facility would include two turf fields measuring 65 feet wide by 160 feet long. It also would have an office, a small refreshment area, restrooms and space for spectators.
"It will be as big as possible for the footprint of the land," Garlow said.
Garlow purchased the field for $215,000 and estimates that the price tag of the land and construction will break $1 million.
There are a couple of hurdles to overcome before Garlow can close on the land and formalize construction, though. An appraisal must be done on the land, and the soccer foundation's bank must approve the transaction, according to its president, Sam Fox.
The Kanawha-Charleston Soccer Foundation owes $1.2 million on a loan that helped finance a new artificial-turf field with bleachers and lights in 2011. If those debts aren't paid off by September 2016, BB&T may foreclose on the fields. All proceeds from the land purchase will go toward paying off the loan, Fox said.
In addition to ongoing fundraising efforts by the foundation, Fox said Garlow's purchase of the field is "a win-win, for not only the soccer foundation but also soccer players throughout the valley."
Garlow said he hopes construction will be completed by fall 2016 so players can use the facility during the winter.
Reach Elaina Sauber at elaina.sauber@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-3051 or follow @ElainaSauber on Twitter.