Lee County still wants to see the Washington Nationals as a tenant at City of Palms Park, but with little money for upgrades, county and Fort Myers officials are embarking on a new strategy: convince the Nats front office they are loved. It’s a common strategy: when you don’t have the money to address a […]
Tag Archives | spring training
Expecting a great night at McKechnie Field
You remember the drama last February at McKechnie Field, when Trevor Gooby delivered a baby outside the ballpark gates. In true MiLB form, the Bradenton Marauders are issuing a bobblehead to commemorate the occasion. The story: Gooby, the senior director of Florida operations for the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton and GM of the Bradenton Marauders (High Class […]
McKechnie Field upgrades set for 2013
Upgrades to McKechnie Field, spring home of the Pittsburgh Pirates and regular-season home of the Bradenton Marauders (High Class A; Florida State League), are set for next season. The upgrades include the addition of a wraparound concourse, outfield tiki bar, upgraded seating and more. (You can see the full details at our sister site, Spring […]
Twins, Lee County negotiating over player dorms, naming rights at spring-training complex
A renovation of Hammond Stadium and the Lee County Sports Complex, spring home of the Minnesota Twins, may or may not feature player dorms and naming rights, as the two sides negotiate a new lease covering some $30 million in improvements. It’s an unusual situation. In order to qualify for $15 million in state funds […]
Cubs, Mesa break ground on new spring-training facility
The Chicago Cubs and the city of Mesa yesterday broke ground on a new $99-million spring-training complex, slated to open for the 2014 season. Take a peek at the new renderings. The ballpark, to be designed by Populous, will hold 15,000 fans and include a videoboard, shaded seats and luxury suites. The new complex will also include […]
Groundbreaking for new Cubs complex set for Wednesday
The Chicago Cubs and the city of Mesa have scheduled a groundbreaking for a new spring-training complex that is most definitely still a work in progress. The complex is set to open in 2014, but there are many issues outstanding: whether Arizona State will be a tenant, the exact design (the above rendering is more […]
Arizona wins College World Series; Hi Corbett is seen as big factor
The University of Arizona won the College World Series in convincing fashion, and players credit the program’s move to Hi Corbett Field as a contributing factor. This was the first year the Wildcats played at the venerable WPA-era facility, used for spring training and minor-league ball for decades. Indeed, we’ve covered this story many times […]
Twins sign 30-year spring-training lease extension
The Minnesota Twins and Lee County agreed on a 30-year lease extension to keep the team in Fort Myers, but the rest of the agreement — covering improvements and funding — is not yet public. It’s an unusual situation, to be sure. And there are plenty of contingencies at play, so it’s not nearly important […]
ASU-Cubs spat may have unexpected beneficiary: new life for Phoenix Muni
A disagreement between Arizona State and the Chicago Cubs over a new Mesa spring-training complex may see the Sun Devils baseball program relocate to Phoenix Municipal Stadium. It’s been a whirlwind couple of days for ASU officials, the Cubs management and Mesa politicians, as an agreement to place the Sun Devils at the new Chicago […]
More improvements on tap for Jackie Robinson Ballpark
More improvements are on tap for Jackie Robinson Ballpark, home of the Daytona Cubs (High Class A; Florida State League), as the city and team discuss a new 10-year lease. The city is looking at spending $1.3 million on various improvements to the historic facility, which would include new restrooms, revamped concessions, better player workout […]
Tigers, Lakeland to map out future of Tiger Town
With the Detroit Tigers’ spring-training lease up in 2016, Lakeland is spending $50,000 to map out the future of Tiger Town and Joker Marchant Stadium. The study, to be performed by HKS (the same firm overseeing the 2001 renovation of Joker Marchant), will address the parts of the complex that need updating to meet current […]
Twins present spring-training wish list to Lee County
Player dorms, more seats at Hammond Stadium and infrastructure improvements are on the Minnesota Twins’ wish list for the team’s Lee County spring-training complex. Opening in 1991, Hammond Stadium and the Lee County Sports Complex are showing their age; once the complex was the state of the art for spring training but now come up […]
For Wildcats, move to Hi Corbett Field pays off
As the University of Arizona prepares to host an NCAA Regional, one thing is clear: the move to Hi Corbett Field this season has paid off handsomely for the Wildcats program. The Wildcats have always been a power in college baseball, but Sancet Stadium — a nice little ballpark literally in the shadows of the […]