The Lexington Sporting Club announced via Twitter on Thursday that it will no longer pursue building a youth recreational soccer complex in the agriculture-rural zone which had been home to the Ashwood Training Center off Newtown Pike
“After discussions with the Mayor, community leaders and trusted colleagues in the farm community, we believe this decision is the best for our community and are grateful for the support they have pledged in helping with this effort,” the Club statement reads.
In early July, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Board of Adjustment approved plans for a 12-field soccer complex and 750 parking spaces in the Agricultural-Rural zone, despite dozens of community members voicing their opposition. The site plan had the soccer fields located where the training track sits and near the southeast border of Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's sale grounds. The fields were adjacent to trainer Ken McPeek's Magdalena Farm. The site plan also called for 750 parking spaces.
There were questions about the relationship between the proposed recreational fields and an “anticipated” commercial stadium for a USL League One professional soccer franchise that is coming to Lexington in 2023. Plans for a downtown soccer stadium have fallen through and no new plans have been announced. The site plan did not include a stadium, though the Division of Planning staff said “separation between the uses” (recreational soccer fields and pro stadium) should be more “clearly delineated.” William J. Shively, owner of Dixiana Farm in Lexington, brought the franchise to Lexington. Vince Gabbert, a former vice president at Keeneland, is the soccer franchise president.
The Planning Commission had been set to consider two zoning ordinance text amendments (ZOTAs) on July 28 – which would permit lights, concessions and retail sales at the Newtown site as well as a 10,000-person stadium, thousands of surface parking spaces and intense commercial use in the nearby Economic Development zone – but those agenda items have been postponed.
Official statement from the Club. pic.twitter.com/2FC4pqh160
— Lexington Sporting Club (@LexSporting) July 28, 2022
As for the future of the property, Marc Ricker, owner of Ashwood Training Center, told bloodhorse.com on Thursday: “At this time, I will not be making any changes to my current plans for the back portion of the farm, which previously housed independent trainers. For the time being, I will continue to focus on the front portion as a yearling breaking and layup facility.
“I will begin discussions with Anderson Communities to discuss making necessary improvements to the barns and track which would be necessary to reopen in the future. If purchasing the property from Anderson becomes a possibility, I will also pursue that to help ensure the property's existence as an agricultural asset to the community.”
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