JACKSON – Members of the Township Planning Board recently approved an application for Trophy Park – which is one of two sports complex plans that will help transform Jackson into a recreation destination.

During a recent meeting of the Planning Board, Trophy Park’s General Development Plan was heard and approved. The application hearing was a continuation from a December meeting which introduced the project.

The site of Trophy Park is in the township’s commercial recreation district (CR-1) and not in the Pinelands region. It will be located near the corner of Route 537 and Hawkin Road.

This rendering shows what the arena might look like. (Renderings courtesy Trophy Park)

  The $120 million project involves the development of 194 acres of land and is the brainchild of developer Alan Nau. The project includes a 6,000-seat outdoor soccer stadium. It also includes 16 baseball and softball fields, 10 lacrosse fields, batting cages, field hockey and several practice fields. All fields will utilize synthetic turf.

Trophy Park will also feature a 400,00-square-foot, two story, 18-court indoor basketball facility. The plan also includes the building of three restaurants, and retail space and hotels. A maximum of 500 employees would be working during peak work times and 600 players would use the facility on weekends.

Nau said that Trophy Park “is strictly sports.” This will distinguish itself from another sports complex project by Cardinale Enterprises which recently gained zoning board approvals. That plan also includes other forms of recreation entertainment such as wall climbing and laser tag.

Trophy Park will draw approximately 2,000 athletes each week who would compete in youth athletic tournaments, according to Nau. “The closest sports project of this type on the northeast is Cooperstown, New York which hosts youth baseball teams. He said the planned complex has already attracted the attention teams outside the country “and we don’t have a shovel in the ground.”

Story Continues HERE (Jersey Shore Online)