CALL TO ACTION FOR UTPB TO RENEW THE LEASE FOR THE CITY PARKS
The citizens of Odessa must implore UTPB to renew the lease with the City of Odessa for the sports associations that utilize the sports complexes located on the UTPB campus. The City of Odessa and UTPB were unable to come to an agreement to renew the lease for the parks located on the UTPB campus that was due to be renewed this year. Although UTPB could have allowed the lease to auto-renew for 5 years with no changes to allow the City of Odessa an opportunity to develop a plan for facilities for the Associations they terminated the lease. They chose not to renew the lease so that UTPB will have all the monetary gains from the sports complexes. The citizens of Odessa have spent millions over the years in building and maintaining these sports complexes for the sports associations that utilize these complexes. These complexes are utilized by over 7,500 youth and 800 adults who play in the Associations annually. Due to this situation Odessa Girls Softball Association (OGSA), Odessa Softball Association (Adult Softball), Odessa Soccer Association, that utilize these sports facilities for their Associations have been displaced or will no longer have facilities to play. The field availability for OGSA is uncertain. The baseball fields and soccer fields throughout Odessa will seriously be overcrowded without these complexes. Adult Softball will have no fields available and will not be able to play.
Please Let Your Voice Be Heard!
Please Contact UTPB To Voice Your Support To Renew The Lease For The City Parks
UTPB President- Sandra Woodley (432) 552-2100 president@utpb.edu
UTPB Athletic Director- Todd Dooley (432) 552-2675
ad@utpb.edu
dooley_w@utpb.edu
UT Board of Regents (512) 499-4402 bbr@utsystem.edu
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: UTPB “pulls the land out from under us.”
(Odessa, TX) – The Odessa Sports Associations are coming together Tuesday July 20, 2021, at the UTPB soccer fields to hold a public outcry at 6:30pm. The UTPB president, Sandra Woodley, has sent the City of Odessa her official termination letter for the 25-year-old contract held with the City to use the 100- acre area of parks space.
This park is utilized by over 7,500 children and 800 adults who play in the Associations. With the loss of this park, Odessa now has the smallest amount of parkland per capita in the entire United States. Odessa citizens are begging for a two year extension on this contract to allow for plans to be put into motion for a new park. UTPB could have allowed the contract to auto-renew in 5 year increments for 4 renewals (20 years total), but instead has chosen to pull the land out from under us.
The Associations plan to meet on the soccer fields at 6pm Tuesday to implore UTPB president Sandra Woodley to allow for this extension with no changes. The Associations hope to rally the community to join in the outcry for the children and adults who will be affected by the loss of this park.
Please join us, make your voice heard, and help the children of Odessa have a place to play! )
Where: UTPB Soccer fields (North East corner of the property) When: 6:30pm Tuesday July 20,2021
We are asking local media to please bring coverage to this event. The general public is not aware of what is happening, and it is our duty to inform them.