New for 2014: Kenosha Kingfish
We have a name and logo for the second of the two new 2014 teams in the summer-collegiate Northwoods League: the Kenosha Kingfish will be playing out of renovated Simmons Field. “We wanted an identity that would be unique to Kenosha,” General Manager Jake McGhee said. “This is Kenosha’s team and we are proud to […]
Foster: MLB looking for reason to flee Tampa Bay
Not only do MLB owners want to see the Tampa Bay Rays leave Tropicana Field, they want to see the team leave Tampa Bay completely, according to outgoing St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster. As mayor, Foster led a dogged fight to ensure the Rays play out their entire lease at Tropicana Field, which runs through […]
New Braves ballpark hits $1B mark with addition of entertainment complex
The Atlanta Braves upped the ante on a new Cobb County ballpark by announcing a new entertainment district as part of the plan, driving the cost of the project over a billion dollars. It’s a pure development play for the Braves, who will pick up the costs of the $400-million, 45-acre development plan. The goal: […]
Should Memphis worry about future loss of Redbirds?
Despite a long-term lease being part of a deal for Memphis to buy AutoZone Park, a local columnist warns that the St. Louis Cardinals could move the Memphis Redbirds (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) someday. Of course, this is an oblique threat: it sounds like the city and the Cards will sign a long-term, 17-year […]
Columbia to study ballpark sites, feasibility
The Columbia (S.C.) City Council decided to spend $47,000 on a ballpark feasibility study for a Class A Sally League team instead of leaving it up to the local Chamber of Commerce. The reason for spending city money was simple: the feeling was that a study from Brailsford & Dunlavey would be more credible if […]
New for 2014: Bristol Pirates
No surprise here: with a change in affiliation to the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bristol Baseball, Inc. announced that Bristol’s team in the rookie Appalachian League will officially be known as the Bristol Pirates. “We are excited about adopting our big league club’s name as our own, especially with the success of Pittsburgh this season and the […]
Personnel moves in Modesto, Reading, Quad Cities, Greenville and Greeneville
Lots of MiLB personnel news: HWS Baseball promotes three; Eric Jarinko is the new Greenville Drive GM; the Quad Cities River Bandits add two assistant GMs; Tonya Petrunak returns to Reading, and the Greeneville Astros add two sales reps. HWS Baseball, the parent company of the Modesto Nuts (High Class A; California League), Mobile Bay […]
Biloxi sets up ballpark spending, contingent on team purchase
The Biloxi City Council approved a $1 million fund for a new Class AA Southern League ballpark, to be used until a team is purchased for a move, at which point bonds can be sold. The ballpark deal between minor-league operator Ken Young and the city calls for Young to close on the purchase of […]
2013 Ballpark of the Year: PNC Field
Another 2013 Ballpark Digest Award to announce: We’ve named PNC Field, home of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Class AAA; International League), as our Best New Ballpark of the Year. Building a new ballpark on the base of an old one is an enormous challenge: what made sense in the 1980s may not make sense for a […]
Green Bay Bullfrogs bought by Mallards owners
The Madison Mallards empire is now a team larger, as the group has purchased the Green Bay Bullfrogs from the summer-collegiate Northwoods League, per an announcement today by league president Dick Radatz, Jr. The new ownership group consists of seasoned Northwoods League operators, including lead owner Steve Schmitt, Vern Stenman, Conor Caloia and Liz Kern. […]
River Bandits unveil new logos for 2014
The Quad Cities River Bandits (Low Class A; Midwest League) unveiled new logos for the 2014, updating the team’s look for a coming season with plenty of change at Modern Woodmen Park. The updated primary logo, largely similar to the team’s leading mark of the past six years, now has two arches of the iconic […]
Wyandotte County/Kansas City to buy CommunityAmerica Ballpark
The Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City is spending $8 million to buy privately built CommunityAmerica Ballpark, home of the Kansas City T-Bones (independent; American Association). The Unified Government, in cooperation with the State of Kansas, plans to use $8 million in Village West Sales Tax Revenue Bonds (STAR) to buy the ballpark, which was […]
2013 Ballpark Renovations Under $1M: Centennial Field, Modern Woodmen Park
We have another set of 2013 Ballpark Digest Awards to announce: the best renovations (under $1 million) go to Centennial Field, home of the Vermont Lake Monsters (short season; NY-Penn League) and Modern Woodmen Park, home of the Quad Cities River Bandits (Low Class A; Midwest League). In both cases, the improvements were multiyear efforts, […]