Lexington County may soon be home to a massive new multi-sports complex. 

At a county council meeting last week, local officials approved the first reading of an ordinance that would authorize up to $74 million in bonds for the facility to be built in Cayce. 

“There would be nothing like it in the state of South Carolina if we can go forward,” Lexington County Councilman Todd Cullum said at the meeting. “Just the size and scope of what it is.” 

According to planning documents sent to the Chronicle, the facility is expected to be an “economic driver for Lexington County and the Midlands through sports tourism,” generating over 1,000,000 visitors per year.

The complex will serve various sports year-round, including baseball, basketball, volleyball, soccer, lacrosse, gymnastics and cheer. 

It will also create new opportunities for female sports that facility-wise have been underserved in the Midlands.

Construction on the project will be broken into two phases. 

Phase 1 features eight large fields that have synthetic turf and lights. They will be designed to accommodate multiple sports, including baseball, soccer and lacrosse. 

The facility also will have two towers for concessions and restrooms along with parking. Phase 1 is expected to cost $25 million.

Phase 2 is the construction of a 150,000-plus square foot mixed-use indoor center. It will have 12 regulation basketball courts and 24 volleyball courts.

The facility also includes locker rooms, along with multiple concession stands. Parking for the facility will be jointly utilized by the eight-field complex. The cost of the indoor sports center is $52 million.

The complex will be funded through multiple sources, including the county, City of Cayce and the state of South Carolina. 

The state has already put up $3 million for the project. 

Over 300 acres of land are being donated for the complex. 

The bond issue will not exceed $74 million. The expected property tax change to pay off that bond is projected to be about a $14.88 increase on a $100,000 piece of property, but would decrease over time. 

It will take two more votes to approve the bond. The next hearing on the issue is set for Aug. 11. 

The complex is modeled after Lakepoint Sports Complex in Cartersville, GA, which generates 2.4 million visitors a year. 

Future hotel, restaurant and retail developments near the facility are also being considered. 

There are no renderings of the project yet, but they are being worked on.