Top Menu

Hagerstown, Fredericksburg preparing dueling ballpark plans

Hagerstown SunsBruce Quinn and crew have managed to drum up an old-fashioned bidding war for the Hagerstown Suns (Low Class A; Sally League), outlining ballpark wish lists for both Hagerstown, Md., and Fredericksburg, Va.

Getting a new ballpark in Hagerstown has been an epic journey for Quinn and his partners: more than a few new-ballpark efforts have failed, and cities have shifted plans for a new downtown facility to an unspecified site elsewhere in the city. But Mayor David Gysberts says a ballpark plan is very much alive after meeting with Quinn:

The mayor confirmed he met with Suns majority owner Bruce Quinn Tuesday, but would not disclose what was discussed.

But Gysberts answered affirmatively when asked if he would describe the meeting as “positive.”…

“I’m not worried about Fredericksburg,” Gysberts said Friday. “I’m really not. They’re a long ways away from a stadium themselves.”

Most of the funding sources for a new Hagerstown ballpark have been identified; it’s filling the gaps and choosing the site that have proven to be problematic.

Those issues aren’t true in Fredericksburg, where Quinn has already outlined what he wants to see in a new ballpark and offered $3 million toward land acquisition:

Quinn, who has owned the Washington Nationals’ Class A affiliate with a group of partners since 2010, hired the HKS Inc. architectural firm to handle preliminary design of a 5,000-seat stadium. Its features would include a swimming pool in left field, corporate suites, a kids’ zone, a “party deck” and a restaurant with sports-related games that would be built into the complex and operate year-round….

Quinn said the full design and construction of the stadium would take 18 months, so he hopes the city will approve the deal by the end of October at the latest. The city’s current timeline calls for the matter to be resolved around then following potentially numerous public hearings, the first of which is scheduled for July 9.

Quinn hopes that the city will approve the lease, or at least the broad outlines of one, that the Suns offered by this summer so he can submit his relocation application with Minor League Baseball. He thinks the lease, which calls for the Suns paying the city $105,000 a year in rent and sharing naming rights and other revenues with the city, is a fair offer.

Having two cities bidding for a ballpark is a nice situation for the Suns ownership and also for the Sally League. it could end up that there will be no losers in this situation, as another team in the circuit may be interested in a move — or someone repping an independent league.

RELATED STORIES: Fredericksburg ballpark could end up turning profit for city: study; Fredricksburg ballpark funding plan emerging; Fredericksburg touted as ideal for professional baseball; Hagerstown owner: We’d meet with Fredericksburg about new ballpark; Fredericksburg to study financial impact of new ballpark; Fredericksburg, Opening Day Partners talking new ballpark; Suns: We’ll put up cash for new ballpark if donation falls through; Will new members of Hagerstown City Council kill new-balpark plan?; See for yourself: fans get peek at problems with Municipal StadiumAnonymous donor pledges $15M for new Hagerstown ballpark; Hagerstown: Construction of new ballpark could begin next springWinchester: We’re not optimistic about landing SunsHagerstown takes first step toward ballpark fundingHagerstown mayor: We’re close to long-term lease with Suns; Hagerstown: Let’s begin designing new downtown ballparkCounty to help fund new Hagerstown ballparkHagerstown citizens: Build downtown ballparkConsultant: Downtown Hagerstown ballpark is viable projectWinchester ballpark back on city agendaWork continues on Suns lease extensionWinchester rejects ballpark; Suns to discuss Municipal Stadium lease extensionWinchester seeks lease changes for proposed Suns ballparkHagerstown pitches downtown ballparkSuns: Nationals forcing us from HagerstownHagerstown Suns sign letter of intent for Winchester moveHagerstown looking at new ballpark to keep SunsWinchester preparing to offer $15 million ballpark to SunsHagerstown Suns in play

—-

Share your news with the baseball community. Send it to us at editors@augustpublications.com.

Are you a subscriber to the weekly Ballpark Digest newsletter? You can sign up for a free subscription at the Newsletter Signup Page.

Join Ballpark Digest on Facebook and on Twitter!

Follow Ballpark Digest on Google + and add us to your circles!

, , , , , ,