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Cruisers: We’ll be ready to play in new ballpark in 2011

Oakland County CruisersThe owners of the Oakland County Cruisers (independent; Frontier League) say they’re ready to close on $13 million in financing for a new Waterford, Mich. ballpark — Diamond at The Summit — and should be ready to play in the facility for the 2011 season.

Diamond Heroes of Southeast Michigan, Inc., says it is anticipating closing on the $13+ million project loan with Citywide Lending Group International of Long Beach, Cal.

“It’s been an incredible journey,” said Diamond Heroes President & CEO Rob Hilliard. “We’re very appreciative of the efforts by the BroSente Group’s financial consultants who introduced us to Citywide and worked through the labyrinth-like loan process with Citywide VP & Legal Counsel Stuart Anderson so that Waterford Township and Oakland County can experience grass-roots independent professional baseball in our community.”

According to Hilliard, Farmington Hills-based McCarthy and Smith, under contract as construction manager for Diamond at The Summit, will start the bid process within the next couple of weeks so that construction can begin as soon after the New Year as possible.

When completed, Diamond at The Summit, located at the intersection of Summit Drive and Mall Drive East behind the Summit Place Mall in Waterford Township, will have a seating capacity of just under 4,000 and will include a full-service food & beverage concession operation run by V/Gladieux Enterprises, Inc., of Toledo; picnic area and beer garden; a children’s playground; a mezzanine tented group party section; six luxury suites; a souvenir shop; scoreboard and message center, and many other amenities found in similar ballparks around the country.

With an aggressive, seven-days-a-week construction schedule, Diamond Summit anticipates having its playing field, stadium lighting, scoreboard, seating bowl, portable concession units and public restrooms ready for the upcoming Frontier League season.

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