“Corn Fields, Not Ball Fields”, Locals Push Back Against Ocean City Sports Complex Plans

BERLIN, Md. – A rural strip of land outside of Ocean City was slatted to be the new home a large $8.7 million sports complex. But push-back from local farmers and businesses, made the town reconsider the location.

Sawyer Hudson is one of the owners of Simply Sawyer, a produce stand right down the road from the proposed 198 acre property.

“I think it showed really well that everybody can get together for a cause that that is important to them and that they care about the land around here.” Said Hudson. “The future of agriculture.”

Her father, Alan Hudson, expressed concern regarding the development of the area, which is an A-1 rural zone.

“Ocean City’s fine, but as long as they stayed in Ocean City, this is just a quiet neighborhood.” Said Hudson. “And it’s just we all enjoy the quietness. And we didn’t want to bring all the hustle and bustle out here to us.”

Other nearby businesses include Bunting’s Crop Dusting and Ocean Aerial Ads, where member of the family owned business, Chris Bunting, had his own concerns about safety.

“Every single one of our flights goes over that location at 200ft.” Said Bunting. “So you can imagine the phone calls, the pressure we’re going to get, not to mention the safety that it’d be putting the kids and everybody at that facility in, that was our biggest concern.”

Community members attended a Mayor and City Council meeting on Monday Aug. 17th, to share their concern. Thanks to thousands of petition signatures and neighborly insight, the property will not be purchased.

In a statement to WMDT, the town confirmed that “The Mayor and Council did not pass the ordinance to purchase property for the proposed sports complex. At this time, next steps have not been determined”.