As Wilmington pours more money into a sports complex, here's where the project stands

A nearly 65-acre property located off of U.S. 421 has long been a topic of discussion -- both among residents and government officials.

Originally a landfill, millions of dollars have been invested in the property's redevelopment. In June, Wilmington City Council approved additional funding to finalize construction on the nCino Sports Complex, located at 205 Sutton Steam Plant Road.

With aspirations to serve as a recreational hub for Wilmington, boasting 11 full-size fields including a synthetic turf field , night lighting, irrigation, and a 2,000 square-foot restroom building, the property has posed a series of environmental and financial challenges throughout its development.

Completion of the project is on the horizon, Matt Hart, city engineer and project manager, said.

Here's a timeline of the nCino Sports Complex project and a look at funding allocated to the development.

History of the project site and approval of the nCino Sports Complex project

The expansive property was previously home to a sand mine and an unpermitted landfill from 1973-79, according to previous StarNews reporting . In 2004, the Flemington Landfill site was designated as a Brownfields Property under a state program aimed at encouraging the safe and reusable redevelopment of former industrial properties.

Since 2005, the property has been used for recreation and was formerly known as the Cape Fear Regional Soccer Park.

By 2007, the city and New Hanover County had already invested $350,000 into the seven-field soccer complex . The Cape Fear Soccer Association requested additional funding from both the city and the county to maintain and operate the property that same year.

A $4 million remediation project -- including management of buried waste and installment of a passive landfill system -- completed on site in 2019, according to previous StarNews reporting . Later that same year, The Wilmington Hammerheads Youth Football Club donated the property to the city of Wilmington.

As part of a 17-year contract with the city, the football club retained seven of the fields for their own use and will receive $225,000 annually to manage the soccer facility. The contract is eligible to be renewed for three 5-year terms in the future.

In 2021, the city of Wilmington unanimously approved a $1.3 million title sponsorship agreement with nCino Inc. , a financial technology company in Wilmington. Mayor Bill Saffo previously referred to the sponsorship of the sports complex as a "tremendous honor."

Initially, construction for the project was expected to begin in 2021 . The project was delayed until October 2022 with construction actually beginning at the site in January 2023, according to previous StarNews reporting.

Previous coverage: 'A historic day': Wilmington approves $1.3 million sponsorship deal for sports complex

How much money has the city of Wilmington invested in the complex?

In 2019, the city of Wilmington expected to dedicate $10 million to the project, funded by the 2016 Wilmington Parks Bond. City council also approved a $1.5 million contract with John R. McAdams Company Inc. to develop the more than 30 undeveloped acres on the property.

By 2022, the initial $10 million city investment into the sports complex had increased to $16.9 million, according to previous StarNews reporting. The additional funding, amounting to more than $5 million, was pulled from the city's capital improvement program.

Wilmington City Council approved an additional $1.4 million in funding for the project in 2023.

The $1.4 million would be used to address soil issues on the field, which had persisted despite earlier remediation efforts, Deputy City Manager Thom Morton previously said . During construction of the sports complex, it was determined that 18 inches of topsoil was not present across the property, leading to grading challenges and the need for waste removal.

In June, Wilmington City Council unanimously approved the allocation of additional funds to the nCino Sports Complex as it nears construction completion.

Previous Coverage: Cost of new Wilmington sports complex rising. Here's why.

What additional funding was recently approved?

In June 2024, the Wilmington City Council approved an additional appropriation of $900,000 for the completion of the nCino Sports Complex.

The appropriation is "needed for a construction contract change order not to exceed $695,000" to TA Loving Inc., according to the ordinance. The funding will go towards landscape and irrigation modifications, additional landfill material removal and import soil for storm water measures, and contractor general conditions for the extension due to unanticipated site conditions.

The difference in the amount of the change order and the requested allocation is due to "unexpected tipping fees for waste removal and implementation of the environmental management plan," the ordinance reads.

When is construction on the park expected to complete?

As of June 18, 2024, construction on the nCino Sports Complex was 82% complete, according to the approved ordinance.

A "substantial completion (is) now anticipated in August 2024," the ordinance reads.

"I can’t tell you tonight how enthused I am that we’ve came this close to completing this project," Hart said at the city council meeting on June 18. "We are approaching 90% (project completion) and in 60 short days we’re going to have play times on these fields."

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: As Wilmington pours more money into a sports complex, here's where the project stands