The Columbus Consolidated Government acquired the former Georgia State Farmers Market property in 2018, and now the Columbus Council is considering whether soccer fields could replace it.
Demolition began last year on the 14.67-acre property at 318 10th Ave. Ahead of the Dec. 17 meeting, Councilor Joanne Cogle of District 7 asked for a resolution to enter an agreement with the Columbus Futbol Club to allow them to use the land for soccer fields.
“The intention here is to create three soccer fields in the footprint of the old farmers market,” Cogle said during the meeting.
The Woodruff Farm Soccer Complex is exploding in popularity with a waiting list of more than 200 players and overused fields, she said.
Using the former farmers market for soccer could help alleviate some of the growing pains of the Woodruff Farm Soccer Complex complex, Cogle said.
However, restrictions designed to ensure the former farmers market is used for a public purpose could conflict with a potential agreement with the Columbus Futbol Club and could result in the city being required to reimburse federal funding.