More tournaments could be coming to area schools thanks to an additional $2.1 million the state has appropriated to upgrade athletic fields at Annapolis and South River high schools.
This month the General Assembly approved a fiscal 2015 capital budget with $3.5 million for Annapolis and South River - significantly more than the $700,000 originally requested for each school to improve athletic fields.
After the state Senate passed a capital budget without the two $700,000 grants, House Speaker Michael E. Busch, D-Annapolis, took the lead in getting larger amounts put in the House of Delegates' capital budget.
The House recommended $3.5 million for the two high schools - a $2.25 million grant for Annapolis High and $1.25 million for South River.
The final capital budget approved by the General Assembly included $2.2 million for improvements at Annapolis High School and $1.3 million for South River High School.
At Annapolis, the extra cash will accelerate plans to replace the school's stadium turf field and install a third multipurpose field, said Bob Mosier, a spokesman for Anne Arundel County Public Schools.
The money will also advance efforts to install a batting cage, additional bleachers and a ticket booth at the multipurpose field.
Mosier said the grant for South River will be used toward a scoreboard, field lighting, a second turf field and improvements to pathways and fencing.
The county's school system and Recreation and Parks Department have been trying to lure more tournaments to county facilities.
Mosier said the additional state funds will help with this.
"You can have soccer or lacrosse, everybody from 5-year-olds on up, through high school, who can play basically seven days a week," Mosier said. "These things get used almost around the clock, almost every day of the week - so the return on investment is huge."
The county has requested money to improve facilities at Annapolis and South River for years.
Last year Annapolis High received a grant from the state to improve its bathrooms.
When the $700,000 grants were requested for fiscal 2015, the school board told the legislators the fields are used in the evening on weekends during the year for youth and adult leagues.
The board said the investment in the schools would improve the local "quality of life" and allow the field to be used for county and state tournaments.
Busch, the House speaker, works for the county Department of Parks and Recreation.
