BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) -- In Shafter, just off Lerdo Highway at the intersection of Golds Avenue and East Ash Avenue, rests a large plot of land marred with nothing but dirt and dead grass. It sits empty and barren, devoid of life, energy and excitement. Soon this plot of land will be full of all three. It will soon be home to a 42-acre, state-of-the-art sports complex with baseball diamonds, barbecue areas and more. "This has been a process that's taken over 10 to 12 years," says Nelson Salinas, chairman of the Shafter Recreation and Park District. He says this groundbreaking is just phase one of the $30.5 million complex's five phases. "We're going to have soccer fields, we're going to have picnic areas, playgrounds, and we're going to have tennis courts ... pickleball," said Salinas. Arlie Smith is a 54-year Shafter resident who says the complex has been a long time coming, and he's happy it will give kids a safe place to play sports. "We'll have a place for kids ... well, it's going to be my grandkids now," said Smith. "Being able to play in a safe park and on nice baseball fields ... courts and stuff, having activities outside instead of being inside on your phone." City council hears first reading on proposed update towards public property sleeping policy The project is being done in collaboration with The Wonderful Company. Wonderful COO, Andy Anzaldo, says the company employs many residents of Shafter. He says this project will allow his employees' children to have somewhere close to play. "Now I know that residents in Shafter, and also rural communities like Wasco, McFarland and Delano can come right here to Shafter and get those same experiences and opportunities," said Anzaldo. For residents themselves, it allows their kids, or for others, their grandkids, to have access to sports resources like those that exist in Bakersfield, right in their own backyard. "I think this town's been needing something like this for a long time," said Shafter baseball Head Coach, John Hill. "I think the growth that we'll see from kids at this complex is going to be amazing." "I think Shafter is one of the finest communities in the Central Valley," said Smith. "[The complex] is long overdue and it's going to be such a great addition to the wonderful services we already have in the community…it just makes it really interesting." Salinas said while the complex as a whole should be done in about three to five years, stage one should be finished in about seven to nine months.