HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Members of the Hagerstown Hitters Youth Football Organization asked the city council to reconsider a decision denying use of Fairgrounds Park for a proposed regional football tournament, an event that benefits local youth and brings tourism dollars into the city.
The issue was raised during public comment at the council meeting, where Matt Rembe spoke on behalf of the organization, its players, coaches and families.
Rembe said the organization proposed hosting the inaugural “Hub City Classic,” a youth football championship tournament expected to feature about 30 teams from multiple states and athletes ages 6 through 14. He said the tournament would bring hundreds of visitors to Hagerstown for an entire weekend, benefiting hotels, restaurants, gas stations and local businesses.
“This was not just a football tournament,” Rembe told council members. “This was an investment in our youth and our city.”
According to Rembe, organizers planned a professionally managed event that included security at entrances and exits, referees hired through local high school systems, parking and traffic crews, food vendors and cleanup staff.
Rembe argued Fairgrounds Park was the ideal location because it could safely accommodate three regulation-sized football fields. He also said individuals who currently lease the park’s fields indicated youth football would not cause more damage than soccer and noted the fields were already scheduled for reseeding before the requested dates.
He criticized the city for allowing numerous other sports at Fairgrounds Park while excluding football.
“Fairgrounds Park accommodates softball, soccer, roller hockey, ice hockey, wrestling, boxing, BMX, skateboarding and practically every other sport imaginable,” Rembe said during the meeting. “But football alone is excluded.”
Rembe also questioned whether the decision unfairly impacts minority youth athletes, noting many of the children participating in local football programs are Black. He described the city’s refusal as appearing “selective” and “discriminatory.”
The organization’s 12U Hagerstown Hitters team is currently ranked No. 2 nationally, according to Rembe, who said the players proudly represent Hagerstown in competitions across the country.
“How can we celebrate other sports, promote athletics and speak about supporting youth, yet refuse to support these kids?” Rembe asked the council.
Following the comments, Mayor Bill McIntyre asked city Public Works Director Erik Deike to publicly explain the reasoning behind the denial.
Deike said the decision was based primarily on concerns over field preservation and scheduling conflicts. He explained that the fields at Fairgrounds Park were specifically built and maintained for soccer and require careful turf management and recovery time.
Officials also said a softball tournament was already scheduled at Fairgrounds Park the same weekend, raising concerns about available space and logistics for hosting multiple large tournaments simultaneously.
Deike noted that many facilities at Fairgrounds Park are designed for specific activities, including the skate park, BMX track and hockey facilities.
Councilmember Tiara Anderson referenced the city’s mission statement emphasizing diversity, economic development and quality of life and asked that both the youth football concerns and rental licensing issues raised during public comment be brought back for future discussion.
After the discussion, council members indicated the issue would be added to a future agenda for additional review and discussion.
