BROUSSARD, La. (KLFY) – The $35 million Broussard Sports Complex at St. Julien Park has been fully operational for a year.

The baseball and softball fields opened last July. The soccer fields opened about a year and-a-half before that.

Brenna Desormeaux of Carencro has a son who plays select baseball here. She said the complex gets busy – especially during weekend tournaments.

“I mean it was constantly traffic in and out all day long,” she said.

Broussard Mayor Charlie Langlinais said the complex’s success has exceeded his wildest dreams.

“Our goal was to bring in enough big, big tournaments so they actually circulate throughout Lafayette Parish,” Langlinais said. “They’ll go to Pelican Park. They’ll go to Scott, go to Youngsville, Broussard. And that’s what’s happening.”

The city is now making some changes to help control traffic at the sports complex.

There used to only be a blinking light at the park entrance off St. Nazaire Road. Crews have now installed traffic signals which should be operational this week.

“The caution light will be used primarily, until such time as we think we need the traffic signal,” Langlinais explained.

Langlinais says they were originally thinking about putting a roundabout at the intersection for about $1.2 million. Instead, the city decided to do an overlay on the road leading into the park and put up traffic signals at a cost of about $140,000.

During big tournaments, some visitors will park at the nearby Walmart and be bused in. They can also walk or use golf carts on a new sidewalk leading to the park.

The traffic signals will primarily be used on weekends. Desormeaux thinks the signals will help.

“So it would only be used on the weekends which I think would be really good especially all the kids they have going in and out of here all weekend long,” Desormeaux said.

Mayor Langlinais said nearby hotels and restaurants have benefitted from tournaments held at the sports complex.

The City of Broussard has a half-cent sales tax dedicated to recreation.