Carroll Community College's new athletic field complex opens Sept. 17, but public access is still being finalized

Carroll Community College will open its new James D. Ball Athletic Field Complex on Sept. 17, when the Lynx host Allegany College of Maryland in a men’s and women’s soccer doubleheader. But 10 months after the groundbreaking ceremony, the college and Carroll County haven't finalized the agreement governing use by the college and the broader community.

The $5.6 million complex was paid for by the Carroll Community College Foundation, which committed $3.2 million, and Carroll County, which committed $2.4 million, according to the college. The college says the facility includes a synthetic turf field, an eight-lane, 400-meter track built to junior-college regulation standards, dedicated space for field events such as long jump, high jump and shot put, bleacher seating, and lighting for night games.

County commissioners have taken two formal votes on funding for the facility. On Oct. 23, 2025, two days after the groundbreaking, they voted unanimously to accept funding from the Carroll Community College Foundation for the project, according to the county's voting record for that meeting.

That record doesn't put a dollar figure on the Foundation's contribution; it says only that the Foundation would provide funding "beyond" the $2.4 million in county money already approved for the project. In Board of Trustees minutes from March 19, 2025, then-Executive Director of the Carroll Community College Foundation, Steve Wantz, told the college's board that a proposal would be presented to the Foundation's board to raise its commitment to the project from $2.4 million to $3.2 million.

On Jan. 22, 2026, commissioners voted, according to the county's public voting record, to award the contracts to build the field and install the lighting: $4,354,854 to Tarkett Sports/Field Turf and $519,000 to Musco Sports Lighting, for a total of about $4.9 million. Both awards passed unanimously; two of the county's five commissioners, Joseph Vigliotti and Susan Krebs, were absent for the vote.

The college has said the complex is intended for more than just its own teams. Its release announcing the finished facility said it "is expected to serve as a community resource for recreational activities, tournaments and events beyond the college's athletic programs." At the project's groundbreaking on Oct. 21, 2025, attended by community leaders, elected officials, Foundation supporters, faculty and student-athletes, Emeritus President Dr. James D. Ball said the complex would be "a place where students compete, where families gather, and where our community comes together."

That same release said the college and county were still "finalizing an operational agreement to govern the facility's use by both the college and the broader community." Both sides confirmed to Westminster Wire that the agreement is still incomplete.

Lisa Slappy, the college's chief communications and public relations officer, said in an Aug. 19 phone call with Westminster Wire that the college and county are still finalizing the agreement and that the college would have priority use of the complex. Christine Cambareri, Carroll County's public relations manager, confirmed the agreement is still being finalized, writing: "Carroll County Government and the Community College are in the process of working on an MOU between the two entities."

Cambareri said in a follow-up email: "Although the MOU has not been finalized, outside user groups will likely request use of the fields through rec and parks, [the] same process as is in place now for the county's other fields."

Josh Gold, president of the Westminster Area Recreation Council (WARC), said in a phone interview with Westminster Wire that a county representative told him the council would get priority access to the complex after the college, through Carroll County Recreation and Parks, as the area's designated local recreation council.

Gold said he expects three WARC-sponsored organizations to utilize the new facility: Westminster Soccer Association (WSA) and Westminster Area Lacrosse (WAX) will use the new turf field, and the Westminster Track & Field Club will use the track and related facilities. He said the Westminster Wildcats Football & Cheer program will not use the new complex because the field will be lined only for soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey, and also will not have goalposts for football. He anticipates use of the facility will come at no cost to WARC, according to his county source.

Gold explained that after the college and WARC, the field could then be used by non-profit groups and finally by for-profit organizations. But Gold anticipates that use of the facility by WARC-sponsored organizations will leave little, if any, time for other non-Carroll Community College groups to access it. WARC already struggles to find enough field space to meet demand in the Westminster area, according to Gold, who says the council has approximately 2,500 kids participating across 10 programs.

It's still unclear whether the track or the field will be open to the public for walking, running, and other activities when not in use by the college, the county, or other groups.