GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.—A major expansion of the Meijer Sports Complex has been completed, highlighted by the opening of a new championship softball field and additional playing surfaces.
The Alro Steel Championship Softball Field debuted this past weekend as Aquinas College’s women’s softball team hosted its home opener, marking a key milestone in the $13.5 million development led by the West Michigan Sports Commission.
The project, which broke ground in October 2024, is expected to be fully completed in May after a 19-month construction timeline. In addition to the new softball field, two flexible-use diamond fields have also opened.
“Opening the Alro Steel Championship Softball Field is a major accomplishment as we near completion of the expanded Meijer Sports Complex, and it delivers much-needed gender parity for women to play on a championship-level field,” says WMSC president Mike Guswiler. “We also encourage the community to make their mark and become part of the sports complex’s history with a commemorative brick, bench, or picnic table.”
The championship field includes synthetic turf, grandstands, lighting, covered dugouts, and a press box. It will host youth, amateur, and collegiate games and tournaments. Aquinas will play a doubleheader March 21-22 against Madonna University and the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
“We are incredibly grateful to the West Michigan Sports Commission and everyone in the community who helped make this possible,” says Aquinas softball coach and Hall-of-Famer Mary Takas. “We haven’t had a field to call our own for many years, with our teams having to pack up and travel to different places to play. This is a wonderful opportunity for Aquinas Softball, and I’m excited for the players and coaches who will call this place home.”
Patty Jansen, Aquinas’ head women’s softball coach, said the new facility comes at an ideal time.
“This is an incredible way to begin my first year at Aquinas,” Jansen says. “To step into a program with such a strong tradition and now have the opportunity to play in a first-class facility like this is really special. Having both our softball and baseball programs competing at the same complex is going to create a great atmosphere for Saints fans. It gives our community the chance to come out, support both teams, and feel that Aquinas energy around our games—and at an incredible facility.”
Alongside the new softball field, two flexible-use diamond fields are now available for youth, amateur, and collegiate play. Each includes covered dugouts and bleachers. Construction of 20 pickleball courts, including a championship court, is expected to be completed next, pending suitable weather conditions.
As part of the final phase of fundraising, the West Michigan Sports Commission also announced the launch of a “Winning Streak Legacy Program,” allowing supporters to purchase engraved bricks, benches, and picnic tables. The items will be installed throughout the complex, including at the Redfield Family Donor Plaza.
The plaza will feature a bronze sculpture by Muskegon artist Ari Norris and will honor donors and community contributors, including recognition of WMSC founder and former U.S. ambassador to Italy Peter Secchia, who died in 2020. The plaza is scheduled to be unveiled during a May opening event.
Once completed, the expanded complex will include the new softball field, two additional diamond fields, 20 pickleball courts, a resurfaced Miracle Field, a new playground, upgraded seating and concessions, and 300 additional parking spaces.
Officials estimate the expansion will generate an additional $1 million annually in visitor spending by accommodating roughly 200 more teams.
The facility, which opened in 2015, is expected to host more than 20 tournaments during the 2026 season, including events organized by USSSA and Game Day USA, as well as the North American Fastpitch Association Masters World Series East in September. It will also host pickleball events, including a Professional Pickleball Association Challenger Series tournament.
The complex has previously hosted more than 200 tournaments, drawing nearly 288,000 visitors and generating an estimated $69.3 million in economic impact, according to the sports commission.
