Escambia County Parks and Recreation, in partnership with Pensacola Sports, has completed work on a new two-story facility at the Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex. The facility will serve as additional locker room space for the SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament that starts on Oct. 29 and other sporting events.
New facility features restrooms, showers, and meeting spaces
The new locker room facility at Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park has restrooms and showers for team sports use, an open space with sliding walls on the first floor, and meeting and office spaces on the second floor. The open space on the first floor will be available for rent and can be used for meetings, birthday parties, and other events.
The facility also has an outdoor second floor deck that overlooks the soccer fields. The building is equipped with Wi-Fi, security cameras, and a fire alarm system. The total cost of the project was $1.8 million, funded by the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) program.
Facility to host SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament for the second time
The new facility will be ready to host the SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament, which will take place from Oct. 29 to Nov. 6 at the Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex. This is the second time that Escambia County has hosted the tournament, after a successful event in 2022.
The tournament will feature 14 teams from the Southeastern Conference, competing for the SEC title and a spot in the NCAA tournament. The event is expected to draw thousands of fans and generate millions of dollars in economic impact for the county.
“We are thrilled to have the SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament back in Escambia County,” said Ray Palmer, president of Pensacola Sports. “This is a great opportunity to showcase our community and our soccer facilities to some of the best collegiate athletes in the country.”
Facility to benefit local soccer players and colleges
The new facility will not only serve the SEC tournament, but also benefit local soccer players and colleges. The Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex has 10 fields that are used by various youth and adult soccer leagues, tournaments, and camps throughout the year.
The complex is also home to the University of West Florida women’s soccer team, which has won six national championships in Division II. The new facility will provide more amenities and convenience for the players, coaches, and fans.
“We have an incredible team in our Parks department who understand the value recreation brings to our quality of life in Escambia County,” said Michael Rhodes, director of Escambia County Parks and Recreation. “Contractors and our staff have worked hard to finish this new building in time for the 2023 SEC tournament, and I am incredibly proud we could meet this timeline.”
Ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for Oct. 18
Escambia County Parks and Recreation and Pensacola Sports will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new facility at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 18. The ceremony will be attended by county officials, Pensacola Sports representatives, SEC staff, UWF coaches, and local soccer leaders.
The public is invited to attend the ceremony and tour the facility. The ceremony will also mark the start of ticket sales for the SEC tournament, which can be purchased online or at the gate.
“We can’t wait for the 2023 second edition of the SEC Soccer Tournament, beginning October 29,” Rhodes said. “We hope everyone will come out and support these amazing athletes and enjoy some exciting soccer action.”
