HARPERSFIELD TOWNSHIP — Prime real estate at Interstate 90 and Route 534 will be developed into a $100 million indoor/outdoor, not-for-profit sports campus, developer Ron Clutter announced Monday.

In a press conference at Ferrante’s Winery and Ristorante, Clutter outlined plans for the 110-acre, already-in-progress complex, which includes a stadium for school use and a commercial aspect with a hotel and restaurant and “high end” office space for hospitals, schools, colleges and other partners.

“The long gray winters feel like they will never end here in northeast Ohio,” Growth Partnership director Joseph Mayernick said. “But now the sun is up and the snow is gone and something is about to spring up from the ground here in Harpersfield.”

The Geneva area Recreation, Education, Athletic Trust (GaREAT) campus will include two 150,000 square-foot buildings and an indoor stadium. The buildings will hold volleyball, tennis and basketball courts and weightlifting and elliptical equipment will be completed by February 2009. The stadium complex, which will hold 4,000 seats, an all weather track, locker rooms and an artificial turf soccer field, will be ready for use in September 2009. The second building will be completed in the winter of 2009.

“Perhaps the one of the most exciting aspects of the plans is the 300-meter, eight-lane indoor running track, which will be the only one of its kind in the country,” Clutter said.

Clutter said the complex will not be “a jock-strap facility,” and will focus on educational recreation for all ages.

“There are a few things that we will focus on. We will be patriotic without compromise,” Clutter said. “We will fly the American flag and say the Pledge of Allegiance and sing ‘God Bless America.’ We believe that is the inner strength of what made this country and we will not compromise that.”

Clutter said the complex will be a drug-free zone for employees and participants, and will offer counseling for drugs and alcohol abuse, smoking and weight loss. Children will present their report cards and receive tutoring if needed.

“This is an example of free market and capitalism,” he said.

Clutter said the Christian-based, not-for-profit complex will be run by a board of trustees and funded by private groups and foundations. The first phase of construction will cost $25 million.

Future expansions to the complex may include an indoor pool, ice skating rink and outdoor sports fields and facilities, he said.

“I want to make this clear: Though the schools may use this complex, it will not be funded by levies of any kind,” he said.

Clutter said the complex will draw athletes at every level and type of athletics and will be an epicenter for tournaments, sports clinics and sports medicine.

“We will see tremendous growth in the area as people come from across the tri-state region to use this facility. When people in this state see this building, they will be beating down our door with developments and investments,” Clutter said. “Our businesses, restaurants, hotels and the lodge will thrive as thousands of people every week come through the county to use this facility. They will spend time here and see what a great place our county is.”

Geneva Area Chamber of Commerce executive director Sue Ellen Foote said she sees the new development as an opportunity “to change everything.”