If we dream big and build it in Oxford they will come.

FNC Park, the city’s recreational complex that has emerged as a top regional destination for youth sports including baseball, soccer and softball, is a prime example.

For years the Oxford and Lafayette County area watched cities like Memphis, Jackson and Birmingham land competitive youth sports tournaments and the tourism dollars that go along with them simply because we had no reputable facilities.

But when we dreamed, we dreamed big. Opened in 2009 and now featuring 75 acres of manicured grass and synthetic turf and a 7,500 square foot indoor practice facility, FNC Park has added a powerful dimension to Oxford in the past seven years

FNC Park Director Brad Freeman notes that 1,200 teams have visited us in 2016 so far, participating in 20 events. There are eight more events scheduled before the end of the year.

We must remember that before 2009 Oxford was a laggard in youth sports facilities, and while FNC Park seemed an ambitious plan the partnerships that made it happen and keep it going have been a fruitful investment.

As Oxford and Lafayette County look to the next chapter, including entrepreneurial development and marketing and other areas of growth, the FNC Park story is one to remember.

History shows, after all, that if we dream big and build it, they will come.