A group seeking to bring pro baseball to Virginia Beach has received conditional approval from the independent Atlantic League, but financing for the $25-million ballpark/youth baseball project is still up in the air.
The group, Virginia Beach Professional Baseball, LLC, is looking to build a 6,000-seat ballpark near the existing Sportsplex. The ballpark would be part of a larger baseball development that would include up to 12 fields for youth play, as well as support facilities. The total cost of the project is now estimated to be between $25 million and $35 million, and it would be built on city-owned land with private financing. Both the financing and permissions from the city still need to be finalized.
“We are extremely pleased that Jas and his group have reached this milestone after more than three years of effort in Virginia Beach,” said Joe Klein, the Atlantic League’s executive director, via press release. “The Atlantic League looks forward to working closely with the group to help Virginia’s largest city obtain its own high level minor league baseball team and first class multi-use ballpark.”
There is already pro baseball in the Hampton Roads area in the form of the Norfolk Tides (Class AAA; International League) and summer-collegiate ball in the form of the Peninsula Pilots (summer collegiate; Coastal Plain League).
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