Building the Destination: Sandhills Global Youth Complex Leads Off in 2025

by Chris Whitney

In the shadow of downtown Lincoln, a breezy late-April afternoon saw the stars of today and tomorrow gathered at 1st and Cornhusker to usher in a new era of baseball and softball in the community.

With stars such as Alex Gordon and Darin Erstad throwing out pitches, the Sandhills Global Youth Complex officially opened to great fanfare at its opening ceremony on April 26, 2025, and hasn’t looked back since.

Since the grand opening, teams from across the country have taken their swings, run the bases, and thrown the ball around Lincoln’s newest athletic facility, with over 2,300 games played since the first “play ball” rang out as winter turned to spring.

“This complex has always been, and will always be, for the youth of our community and every decision made has been centered on what is best for the experience of the kids and families that will call the Sandhills Global Youth Complex home,” says Joe Fagler, Executive Director, Sandhills Global Youth Complex.

Home to eight fully turfed fields, including two championship fields, one for baseball and one for softball, the Sandhills Global Youth Complex is also home to the Nebraska Wesleyan University baseball and softball teams and a practice field for the Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball and softball teams.

Set just north of downtown Lincoln, the complex is conveniently located near various activities, restaurants, and other entertainment options for the entire family in the downtown and Haymarket areas.

A $4 million gift from Sandhills Global secured the naming rights for the complex, putting the project on track for completion. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in August 2023, construction began immediately after the ceremony and continued into 2024, and the first games and practices commenced in early 2025.

“As we looked at the impact of the complex in its entirety — from an economic standpoint for the region and most importantly for the youth in Lincoln and Lancaster County — we decided we could do more to make this a reality,” says Shawn Peed, Chief Executive Officer for Sandhills Global.

“We are proud that this complex will bear the Sandhills name and for the impact it will have on the greater community.”

The complex is a space for players of all backgrounds and abilities to come together and play, expanding opportunities that will have a positive impact on Lincoln and local youth for generations to come. A playground is also a part of the complex, in addition to a space for Homer’s Heroes at the Globe Life Ballfield, an all-accessible field built for boys and girls with physical or intellectual disabilities.

“The Sandhills Global Youth Complex celebrates the storied history of baseball and softball in Lincoln and will give youth a place to flourish, grow and have fun, well into the future. It will be the backdrop for memories that last a lifetime,” says Jeff Maul, Vice President-Executive Director of Visit Lincoln.

An idea that started in 2005 gained momentum over time as Lincoln continued to grow as a city. A group of community leaders initially gathered to develop a blueprint for Lincoln’s future vitality and economic growth that included broadening Lincoln’s entertainment and recreational opportunities as pillars for sustained and measured advancement as a city.

This group became known as Vision 2015, which ultimately led to the completion of numerous game-changers for Lincoln, including Pinnacle Bank Arena, Nebraska Innovation Campus, the Antelope Valley watershed, and the redevelopment of the West Haymarket Entertainment District, among others.

The Sandhills Global Youth Complex also brought together a public-private partnership among leaders from the City of Lincoln and Lancaster County, as well as numerous private sector donors. Field naming donors include Sandhills Global, Scheels, Union Bank & Trust, Globe Life, Darin and Jessica Erstad, and Alex and Jamie Gordon. Construction and design for the complex were made possible by Olsson, Sampson Construction, and Sinclair Hille.

With Lincoln’s passion for baseball spanning almost as far back as the city’s founding in 1856, it made sense to have baseball and softball at the heart of the discussion as a driver of recreational opportunities for Lincolnites and visitors alike. The drive for a complex in Lincoln continued, and the dream was realized, paving the way for generations to fall in love with America’s favorite pastime.

“These world-class ballfields promise to strengthen Lincoln’s economy and build lifelong memories for families throughout our city and beyond,” says Leirion Gaylor Baird, Mayor of Lincoln.

“This state-of-the-art complex will increase recreational opportunities for youth in our community, reinvigorate and grow area businesses in northwest Lincoln and enhance our overall tourism landscape,” notes Rick Vest, Chair of the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners.

Ultimately, the stars of tomorrow could be getting ready to pick up a ball and swing a bat at the Sandhills Global Youth Complex, something Jeff Maul is hopeful to hear about years from now.

“I want to watch ‘SportsCenter’ or a show about that big star that got their start here in Lincoln, Nebraska, playing the game they love at the Sandhills Global Youth Complex, and how they grew their passion right here in our community,” Maul concludes.