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After voter rebuke of public funding, Ramapo looks to private sector

Proposed Ramapo ballpark

After voters overwhelmingly spanked down proposed public funding of a new ballpark for an independent Can-Am Association team, the city is looking to the private sector for assistance.

The referendum, which was rejected by a 2-1 margin, halted the city of Ramapo (N.Y.) from borrowing $16 million to build a new ballpark for the Ramapo Boulders, an expansion independent Can-Am Association team. Undeterred by the loss — and its scale — the city is instead using the town’s development arm, the Ramapo Local Development Corp., to finance the ballpark.

Critics say the ballpark poses environmental issues and is a bad investment; proponents say it’s a good investment that has banks lining up to loan money for the project — though, admittedly, at a much higher interest rate than the city would have received.

City officials are promising baseball will be played at the new ballpark next June — which seems to be a stretch, to say the least.

RELATED STORIES: Consultant: New Ramapo ballpark has good chance of turning profit; Ownership emerges for Ramapo Can-Am team; Citizens seek public vote on new Ramapo ballpark; Miles Wolff: Can-Am Association eager for Ramapo team; New ballpark pitched in Ramapo for Can-Am team

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