A proposed independent North American League ballpark at San Rafael’s Albert Field is on hold after a contentious City Council meeting where opposing sides almost came to blows in a rather heated discussion.
The proposal from Centerfield Partnership would add 800 temporary seats to the city-owned park and upgrade restrooms and clubhouses while adding temporary concessions, paying between $4,000 and $12,000 per season for the privilege. Opponents say adding traffic and alcohol to the area would inevitably lead to problems in downtown San Rafael.
Both sides were heard Monday night at a marathon City Council meeting, which featured plenty of passion. According to this account, opponents say the ballpark will generate too many drunken fans and much noise — so much noise that some locals fear they could collapse from a heart attack or suffer from a compromised immune system caused by the concussive music played during a game. (Really.) And at one point two citizens almost came to blows over their disagreements over the merits of the proposal.
In the end, cooler heads prevailed, and the council decided to put off a decision while seeking more information from Centerfield Partnership, with a subcommittee designated to look into the outstanding issues.
RELATED STORIES: San Rafael debates NAL ballpark at Albert Field
—-
Share your news with the baseball community. Send it to us at editors@augustpublications.com.
Subscribers to the weekly Ballpark Digest newsletter see features before they’re posted to the site. You can sign up for a free subscription at the Newsletter Signup Page.
Join Ballpark Digest on Facebook and on Twitter!