Kraus-Anderson will deliver first phase of $175M Big Bend sports complex

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The village of Big Bend approved the first phase of a $175 million youth athletic complex. A contractor has been announced for the project.

The Milwaukee office of Kraus-Anderson was named the general contractor for the Breck Athletic Complex at the southeast corner of State Highway 164 and Town Line Road.

Plans for the sports complex surfaced in January. They include six outdoor baseball fields, five outdoor soccer fields, four outdoor lacrosse fields and a 150,000-square-foot indoor baseball, lacrosse and soccer facility with batting cages and warm-up areas.

The project faced pushback early on from community members concerned about its size; the land the proposed complex is on is surrounded by residential areas and farmland.

The facility is being developed by Eric Weishaar, president of Wauwatosa-based Breckenridge Landscape.

The future facility will host national-level baseball, soccer and lacrosse tournaments, according to Kraus-Anderson. The youth sports complex will be the first of its kind and the largest in Wisconsin when completed.

“We are creating the best youth experience in multiple sports for players, parents and coaches,” Weishaar said in a statement. “Our goal is to set the standard for youth sports in the region and across the country.”

Amenities will include golf simulators, a looped fitness trail, gas station, parking, commercial and retail spaces, sports outfitters and a hotel, Kraus-Anderson officials said.

There will be concessions, restaurants, a coffee bar and a craft beer bar, restaurant and banquet hall near the championship field.

The first phase of construction is expected to begin this summer with the soccer fields completed by early fall 2026. The baseball diamonds are expected to open in late fall 2027 or spring 2028. The phasing plans submitted to the village are based on projected construction timelines, officials noted.

The developer requested a planned unit development overlay district and a conditional use permit to start the first phase of the project. Both items were approved by the village on Thursday.

Corsair Logistics is funding the master planning, land purchase and additional expenses associated with zoning approval, officials said. After securing approval, the developer will seek investors and banking partners for financing.

The fields were designed by ISG Architects.