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Sandi Allen, District 5 Commissioner June Jackson, Commission Chair
Heard County Sports Complex and Arena
Recognized in 5th Annual County Excellence Awards
March 15, 2010 -- Six Georgia counties - Chatham, Cobb, Decatur, Heard, Liberty and Mitchell – recently were
selected as Georgia County Excellence Awards recipients for developing innovative programs designed to make
county government more effective and efficient, improve services for county residents and enhance the quality of
life in Georgia communities. Now in its 5th year, the Georgia County Excellence Awards program is co-sponsored by
the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) and Georgia Trend magazine. Heard County was
selected for the development of the Heard County Sports Complex and Arena. Heard County won this award last
year for the Heard County Animal Control Center making it their second excellence award in two years.
"The winning programs signify exceptional leadership, originality, and problem-solving in their respective
communities," said ACCG Executive Director Jerry R. Griffin. "As every year, we've found that out-of-the-box thinking
and imaginative solutions are very much in evidence in Georgia counties."
Prior to the development of this complex, Heard County sports enthusiasts lacked adequate facilities. Local
groups like the Lions Club, Cattlemen’s Association, 4-H Club, and Scouts also had limited facilities for their
functions. After discussions with many community organizations, the Board of Commissioners decided a 200-acre
property recently purchased might lend itself to development of a covered, multi-purpose arena.
"This facility is a great addition to our community and is already attracting a number of new events,” said Heard
County Chairman June Jackson. "It was definitely built to meet a demand for recreational needs in our county."
The county used $1.2 million in Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds to finance a 175-by-300 ft.
building with bleachers, restrooms, an announcers’ stand, concession area and state-of-the-art sound system.
Horse shows, rodeos, 4-H and sporting events, as well as concerts have been hosted at the arena, which officials
plan to enhance further with covered stalls and RV hook-ups. The sports complex was developed next, on a 154-
acre property owned by the county. This $12 million dollar complex includes a new state-of-the-art gymnasium, 14
baseball/softball/T-ball fields, two football/soccer fields, three concession stands, a playground and additional areas
for future expansion.
“The County Excellence Awards provide an opportunity to showcase programs developed by local government
that are having a positive impact on the community,” says Griffin. “By understanding the needs of their citizens,
Heard County tailored the development of this arena and sports complex to encourage diverse use.”
County Excellence Award recipients are selected by a panel of public and private leaders and judged in
categories according to county population. Other projects recognized as part of the 5th Annual County Excellence
Awards include Liberty County for its Keep Liberty Beautiful program; Mitchell County for a Superfund site
redevelopment project; Decatur County for its Silver Lake land conservation project; Cobb County for its Safety
Village; and Chatham County for its Safety Net Providers Network, to improve local health care delivery systems.
About ACCG: The Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) provides leadership enhancement, cost-
efficient services and public policy development and advocacy on behalf of Georgia’s county officials their local
communities. For more information on ACCG, go to www.accg.org.
Recognized in 5th Annual County Excellence Awards
March 15, 2010 -- Six Georgia counties - Chatham, Cobb, Decatur, Heard, Liberty and Mitchell – recently were
selected as Georgia County Excellence Awards recipients for developing innovative programs designed to make
county government more effective and efficient, improve services for county residents and enhance the quality of
life in Georgia communities. Now in its 5th year, the Georgia County Excellence Awards program is co-sponsored by
the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) and Georgia Trend magazine. Heard County was
selected for the development of the Heard County Sports Complex and Arena. Heard County won this award last
year for the Heard County Animal Control Center making it their second excellence award in two years.
"The winning programs signify exceptional leadership, originality, and problem-solving in their respective
communities," said ACCG Executive Director Jerry R. Griffin. "As every year, we've found that out-of-the-box thinking
and imaginative solutions are very much in evidence in Georgia counties."
Prior to the development of this complex, Heard County sports enthusiasts lacked adequate facilities. Local
groups like the Lions Club, Cattlemen’s Association, 4-H Club, and Scouts also had limited facilities for their
functions. After discussions with many community organizations, the Board of Commissioners decided a 200-acre
property recently purchased might lend itself to development of a covered, multi-purpose arena.
"This facility is a great addition to our community and is already attracting a number of new events,” said Heard
County Chairman June Jackson. "It was definitely built to meet a demand for recreational needs in our county."
The county used $1.2 million in Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds to finance a 175-by-300 ft.
building with bleachers, restrooms, an announcers’ stand, concession area and state-of-the-art sound system.
Horse shows, rodeos, 4-H and sporting events, as well as concerts have been hosted at the arena, which officials
plan to enhance further with covered stalls and RV hook-ups. The sports complex was developed next, on a 154-
acre property owned by the county. This $12 million dollar complex includes a new state-of-the-art gymnasium, 14
baseball/softball/T-ball fields, two football/soccer fields, three concession stands, a playground and additional areas
for future expansion.
“The County Excellence Awards provide an opportunity to showcase programs developed by local government
that are having a positive impact on the community,” says Griffin. “By understanding the needs of their citizens,
Heard County tailored the development of this arena and sports complex to encourage diverse use.”
County Excellence Award recipients are selected by a panel of public and private leaders and judged in
categories according to county population. Other projects recognized as part of the 5th Annual County Excellence
Awards include Liberty County for its Keep Liberty Beautiful program; Mitchell County for a Superfund site
redevelopment project; Decatur County for its Silver Lake land conservation project; Cobb County for its Safety
Village; and Chatham County for its Safety Net Providers Network, to improve local health care delivery systems.
About ACCG: The Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) provides leadership enhancement, cost-
efficient services and public policy development and advocacy on behalf of Georgia’s county officials their local
communities. For more information on ACCG, go to www.accg.org.