The Plano Sports Authority is looking east to expand.
The nonprofit, which manages youth sports leagues, told the Murphy City Council that its membership has grown by 58 percent in the past three and a half years. It could outgrow its two current facilities in Plano by winter 2013, the group said.
PSA is proposing a joint project with the city of Murphy to build an estimated $9 million indoor sports facility in an area called Murphy Central Park near City Hall.
If approved, groundbreaking could start in late 2012.
Murphy mother Brynn Rogers said she supports the proposed facility in part because it would provide a larger range of sports opportunities closer to home.
Her son Grayson plays soccer and football, and her son Garrett is involved with a PSA soccer team. He practices near home, but games are often a trek.
"We have to drive almost 30 minutes to West Plano," his mother said.
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But Vernon Wallace, a Murphy father and coach, said he is worried PSA would create a culture of competition and be out of the price range of some families.
"PSA is all about team sports and competition," he said. "I think the problem is not every parent wants their kids to be as competitive."
Wallace also said the process is moving a bit too quickly for his taste and wonders if concerns such as his would be adequately addressed.
He said he would prefer that city land be used to promote a community center, not a private, membership-based facility.
"They have so many members, and they can kind of push things through that the other little guys can't push through," Wallace said.
In a presentation, PSA said the area in and around Murphy is home to about 10,000 of its members.
The City Council will vote on the proposal on Sept. 18.
The city said it would have no comment on the proposal until the vote.
