The idea of building a multi-field sports complex in Mount Airy to attract major tournaments has reached first base with county officials, but it remains to be seen whether the project scores a home run.

“I think it’s a great idea,” Surry County Commissioner Jimmy Miller said Thursday when the proposal was discussed during a monthly liaison meeting in which the city and county explored joint efforts.

The sports complex concept has been in the works since last fall at the urging of Todd Harris, a member of the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners who was joined in his enthusiasm by Craig Hunter, a county commissioner.

However, Hunter has since decided not to seek re-election to his Mount Airy District seat this year, and did not attend Thursday’s liaison meeting.

But Miller, who was present along with County Manager Dennis Thompson, were receptive after Harris gave a presentation on the complex and asked whether county representatives were interested in going forward with the effort.

“The city by itself could not pull this off,” Harris said of the proposal that calls for placing at least eight ballfields on an 80-acre site on City View Drive. The property is the former site of a landfill that was closed in the early 1980s.

When asked by Miller Thursday if any “numbers” had been determined so far for the project’s cost, Harris said that $4 million has been identified as a tentative figure for both local government units combined.

However, Harris stressed that many question marks remain about that expense, which could be greatly offset if the site qualifies for state and federal grants — especially funding programs that allow abandoned landfills to be refitted for new uses.

“The initial investment would be tremendous for both parties involved,” agreed Darren Lewis, assistant city recreation director. But he told those present Thursday that the costs could be indirectly recouped through the money spent in the community by visitors to the tournaments.

Harris is envisioning three or four major tournaments being held each month once the sports complex was established. “I think it’s a thing that will sell itself.”

Yet much groundwork literally will be required in the meantime, including soil tests and feasibility studies to determine what would be required to make the fields a reality, including removing any rock that might be on the site.

In addition to ballfields, the complex could include a VIP section and other facilities deemed as needed to meet a goal of attracting coaches from around the nation. Along with girls’ fast-pitch softball and other types of that sport, the fields would allow baseball events as well.

“Showcase” tournaments that the fields would accommodate are not for teams to play to win, Harris explained. “That is where you go to be seen by college coaches.”

Dean Brown, another city commissioner, considers the sports complex a great example of thinking outside the box economically. “We’ve got to come up with ideas that are not traditional,” said Brown, who also believes the project would be an enhancement for local youth.

For their part, county officials promised Thursday to take the proposal back to all Surry commissioners to determine if there is universal support for the effort.

“Our guys have knocked it around and talked about it,” said Miller, a veteran member of the county board who also has a sports background. The commissioner added that he would be “happy” to have the matter considered by his fellow officials.

“But it’s a big job,” Miller said of the project.

Earlier discussions have included the possibility of the city and county forming a committee to spearhead the sports complex and explore the funding and other issues involved.

In addition to distributing engineering schematics prepared to illustrate the complex, Surry officials indicated Thursday that Harris soon could be giving another presentation to county leaders as part of their decision process.

Harris said after Thursday’s meeting that he was pleased with the county’s response.

“There was great receptivity to the whole concept. I thought it went real well,” he said.

“I’m excited about the whole project.”719-1924.