Daily Digs: Youth Athletic Fields Complex Hosts First Games, Topping Out and New Name for $126M OKC Coliseum Project and More

A new athletic complex in Washington County, Tenn., hosted its first games last week. 

The Washington County Athletic Fields complex is located next to Boones Creek Elementary School off Highland Church Road. It is comprised of four fields, two softball and two baseball fields. The complex features dugouts, restrooms, fencing, concession stands and artificial turf infields.

Crews first broke ground on the multimillion dollar complex in January 2023. The construction of the complex had faced several years of delays prior to securing funding.

Leaders gathered last week for the topping-out ceremony of the $126 million OKC Fairgrounds Coliseum project.

Also announced was its new name: Going forward, the building will be known as the OG&E Coliseum.

The 216,164-square-foot coliseum — scheduled to be completed in mid-2025 — will be operated by Oklahoma State Fair Inc.

More: 

• The Tennessee Smokies took the field for their final opening day in Sevier County last week; for the 2025 season, the Smokies will be rebranding and moving to a new stadium in downtown Knoxville. Stadium construction is on track to wrap up in March 2025 and the team's lease in Kodak is set to expire March 15, Doug Kirchhofer, CEO of team owner and stadium developer Boyd Sports — working in partnership with GEM Community Development Group.
  
          
  The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.

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