Letter From District 2 Magistrate T. J. Massey: Timeline for HWY 70 Ballpark Improvements After Funds Announcement

HWY 70 Park, April 2026.

Darren Doyle, story and photo:
The Edmonson Voice reported in April of this year ​the allocation of $1.45 million from the Kentucky General Assembly for the purpose of improvements to the Highway 70 Sports Complex. 

At that time, work on the park was expected to begin sooner rather than later, but according to District 2 Magistrate and Edmonson County Baseball/Softball Board member T.J. Massey, all the funds are still on the way but receiving it will take a bit longer than expected. 

Massey has written an open letter explaining the timeline as a result of receiving many questions regarding this project.


Letter to the Edmonson Voice:
While the $1.45 million for the Highway 70 Sports Complex is fully approved and secured in the state budget, it operates on a reimbursement model through the Department of Local Government. Because the county cannot request or access these funds until the state’s 2027–2028 fiscal year beginning July 1, 2027, the project requires careful financial planning.

I want to extend a sincere thank you to Representative Michael Meredith and the entire Kentucky General Assembly for securing this incredible, generational investment in our community and our kids.

While the Parks and Recreation Department, Fiscal Court, and the EC Baseball/Softball board would love to complete this project before next season, the financial reality prevents it. To complete the project upfront right now, the county would need to take out a loan. However, because we cannot request the state reimbursement until the 2027–2028 fiscal year, carrying that debt would accumulate an irresponsible amount of interest payments that our budget simply cannot absorb.

Therefore, the EC baseball and softball board is actively collaborating with the Fiscal Court and Parks and Recreation to evaluate what can be done right now heading into the 2027 season. We are looking at ways to utilize the current parks and rec budget to close gaps and address pressing safety and playability concerns on the current fields.

Our ultimate goal is to launch this major renovation immediately after the 2027 season concludes when we are much closer to next fiscal year and the reimbursement mechanism opens. Thank you for your continued patience and support as we balance our desire for immediate upgrades with responsible fiscal stewardship for Edmonson County.

Respectfully,
TJ Massey
Edmonson County 2nd District Magistrate & EC Baseball/Softball Board Member