Meijer Sports Complex Expansion Nears Completion as Softball Field Opens

Aquinas Women’s Softball will play their home opener of the season this weekend at a new field — Alro Steel Championship Softball Field at the Meijer Sports Complex in Rockford, Michigan.

The completed softball field, alongside two flexible-use fields, are the latest milestones that advance the $13.5 million expansion project one step closer to its planned opening this May.

Breaking ground in October 2024, the West Michigan Sports Commission will soon complete its 19-month improvement and expansion project of the Meijer Sports Complex.

In addition to completing the ballfields, the WMSC is launching a Winning Streak Legacy Program where supporters can purchase a personalized commemorative brick, bench or picnic table supporting the Meijer Sports Complex Winning Streak Campaign.

“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,” said 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.”

New Fields Open with Pickleball Courts Next

Completed this month, the Alro Steel Championship Field features synthetic turf, grandstands, lighting, covered dugouts and a press box, and it will be available for youth, amateur and collegiate softball games and tournaments. Aquinas Women’s Softball also will use this as its home field, playing a home opener double-header March 21–22 against Madonna University and University of Michigan-Dearborn.

“We are incredibly grateful to the West Michigan Sports Commission and everyone in the community who helped make this possible,” said 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.”

“This is an incredible way to begin my first year at Aquinas,” said Patty Jansen, head women’s softball coach for Aquinas. “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.”

In addition to the championship softball field, two flexible-use diamond fields are complete and open this month for youth and amateur baseball and softball as well as collegiate softball – featuring covered dugouts and bleachers. The 20 pickleball courts including a championship court are slated for completion next, with timing dependent on temperatures allowing the top court layer to be applied and cured.

Winning Streak Legacy Program Launch

As the final phase of the Winning Streak Campaign, supporters will be able to purchase a personalized commemorative brick, bench or picnic table to help sustain the Meijer Sports Complex into the future. Engraved benches and picnic tables will be placed around the complex, and bricks will be installed at the Redfield Family Donor Plaza at the DeVos Family Championship Field.

The Redfield Family Donor Plaza also will serve as a signature feature of the complex, highlighted by a new bronze sculpture celebrating sports, created by Muskegon sculptor Ari Norris. The donor plaza will include recognition of one of the WMSC founders, former U.S. Ambassador to Italy Peter Secchia, who passed away in 2020.

The sculpture and refurbished plaza will be unveiled and dedicated at a May opening event, thanks to support from the Mark and Tami Redfield Family.

More details around the Winning Streak Legacy Program will be unveiled soon.

2026 Calendar

The $13.5 million expanded Meijer Sports Complex is estimated to generate an additional $1 million in annual visitor spending through 200 more teams that can be accommodated through enhanced facilities and increased parking spaces.

In addition to serving as the home field for Aquinas Men’s Baseball and Women’s Softball, the Meijer Sports Complex will host more than 20 travel baseball/softball tournaments occurring most weekends mid-April through September 2026, including 10 by USSSA and seven by Game Day USA, plus the 2026 North American Fastpitch Association Masters World Series – East September 10–13. It also will be home to Rockford Pickleball Club, who will manage the 20 new courts that will be open to the public, as well as the Professional Pickleball Association Challenger Series Pickleball Tournament September 18–20.

Owned and operated by the WMSC and opening in 2015 with eight baseball and softball fields, the Meijer Sports Complex has cumulatively attracted over 200 weekend travel tournament events, 8,851 teams and 287,657 visitors for a total economic impact of $69.3 million in visitor spending. Throughout the weekdays from March to October, the complex serves as a community asset for local sport clubs, schools and leagues.