ERATH - While everyone knows there were thousands of people in Erath attending the Fourth of July Celebrating, what many did not know was that a brand-new privately built sports complex also opened in Erath.

After two years of headaches and backaches, Quality Sports Authority Complex (QSA) opened its fields for action.

There were just under 20 teams, in two different age groups, that competed in the “Triple Play Baseball Tournament” over the weekend.

What many fans, who traveled from as far away as Hammond and Baton Rouge to watch the games, may not have known, was that this weekend was the first-ever tournament played in the brand-new $1 million sports complex.

Other than an electrical plug here and there that did not work, the weekend went off without a problem.

Watching the tournaments all unfold, the fans sitting in their lawn chairs under a covered area, was the man who made the complex possible.

Nathan Granger, owner of QSA, funded the construction of the entire complex. His company workers did a majority of the construction under the guidance of Randy LeBlanc, who was the foreman.

The project took 18 months to be completed.

“The complex was a long term process that started when I was going around the state and outside the state with my two boys playing baseball and noticing all these fine complexes and asking myself, ‘Why not in Erath and more importantly, Vermilion Parish’?,” Granger said.

When that first pitch was thrown on one of four fields Saturday morning, Granger’s dream became a reality.

Granger said, “It surprised me, but I actually got choked up and chills when the umpire called ‘batter up!’

“To see something that not only me, but Tommy (Picard), Jeremy (Picard) and many other people in the community have dreamed of come together, was an unbelievable feeling,” he added.

The complex is like no other in a 50-mile radius. Some have compared it to Pelican Park in Carencro, but a lot nicer. Granger said he does not like to be compared to Pelican Park.

“We are already making a name for ourselves as the QSA Sports and RV Park,” Granger said. “Our complex is actually larger than Pelican Park and much more diversified. We built our complex around our playing surfaces, because that is what’s important to coaches and players. Not how fancy your buildings are. Our playing surfaces are top notch celebration Bermuda.”

There are six total fields where softball or baseball games can be played.

There are two regulation high school baseball fields with a center field fence that is 365 feet deep.

In the process of being built is a high school softball field where Erath High will play its games.

There are also three baseball fields that have a fence that are 300 feet deep all the way around.

Right in the middle of four fields is a concession stand like no other in Vermilion Parish. The two-story concession stand is 7,000 square feet. On the bottom is a concession stand, but on top is a private bar.

Granger said he plans to begin adult men’s and co-ed softball league in August, and the bar is expected to be a big plus during and after the games.

But the complex, unlike Pelican Park, has a lot more than just softball and baseball.

There are also four regulation size high school soccer fields and football fields.

Next to the fields are 45 RV hookups with 50 and 30 amp plug-ins. The hookups are open 24 hours, seven days a week.

There is a sewage station, two covered pavilions, along with men’s women’s shower area and a full service laundromat.

This past weekend, parents did take advantage of the RV park by occupying four locations.

The complex will be busy again in two more weekends for a PONY baseball tournament.