We have yet another run as a new Wilmington ballpark, as the suburban town of Leland has been talking with developer REV Entertainment about a new entertainment district that could include pro baseball as the anchor. (more…)
Tag Archives | wilmington
Desire for Wilmington MiLB Team Remains
Years after voters rejected a proposed property-tax hike for a new waterfront ballpark, desire remains for Wilmington, NC to land an affiliated Minor League Baseball team. (more…)
Mudcats bus crashes; seven players injured
Seven Carolina Mudcats (High Class A; Carolina League) players and a team trainer were injured after a team bus traveling to Myrtle Beach flipped onto its side in Columbus County (N.C.) early this morning. (more…)
TRO prohibiting B-Mets sale extended
A temporary restraining order prohibiting the sale of Binghamton Mets (Class AA; Eastern League) to a buyer other than Main Street Baseball and Clark Minker was extended by a federal judge today through April 30, who urged the two sides to mediate their differences. (more…)
Fate of Lynchburg Hillcats still cloudy
Though Wilmington voters rejected a new-ballpark plan that would have brought the Lynchburg Hillcats (High Class A; Carolina League) to North Carolina, the team’s long-term future at Calvin Falwell Field is far from assured. There may have been some premature celebration among Hillcats fans when the ballpark referendum went down in Wilmington. Two things are […]
Ballpark effort cost Wilmington taxpayers $200K
It was less than budgeted: Wilmington (N.C.) spent around $200,000 on efforts to bring Minor League Baseball to the city, with most of that money going to National Sports Services (NSS). NSS was paid $135,000 for a feasibility study, concluding the city could economically support pro baseball, outlining potential lease terms and suggesting different funding […]
After overwhelming defeat at polls, don’t look for MiLB in Wilmington any time soon
After Wilmington (N.C.) voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposed property-tax hike for a new waterfront ballpark, elected officials and baseball people say there probably will be no further efforts to bring MiLB to the city. The proposal was for a new ballpark funded by taxpayers: $31 million for the ballpark and $6 million for the land. […]
Wilmington voters overwhelmingly reject ballpark plan
At the end of the day, it wasn’t close: Wilmington (N.C.) voters overwhelmingly rejected a hike in local property taxes to pay for a new ballpark for a High Class A Carolina League team. The final margin: 70 percent against, 30 percent for. Not a surprise: polls from both sides had shown overwhelming opposition to […]
Poll: Wilmington voters oppose ballpark funding plan
A new poll shows considerable opposition to public funding of a new Wilmington (N.C.) ballpark for a High Class A Carolina League team, as voters prepare to decide on the issue in next Tuesday’s elections. The poll, from the conservative Civitas Institute, reports 59 percent of Wilmington voters said they were certain to vote against […]
Sweetening the pot in Wilmington
Whether this sways any voters remains to be seen, but it looks like a proposed new ballpark in Wilmington (N.C.) could attract outside investors, as a development firm say it will build next to the Carolina League facility if approved. The developer, Charlotte-based South Street Partners, is pitching high-end residential and retail space if voters approve […]
Wilmington still negotiating ballpark site
Wilmington (N.C.) officials have settled on two waterfront sites for a potential ballpark for a High Class A Carolina League team and are negotiating with the landowners. The plan: the city would fund a $37-million ballpark project for a ballpark to be managed by Mandalay Baseball Properties and hosting a team owned by the Atlanta […]
No reason to worry about gap in Saints ballpark financing — yet
City officials are nervous about a $2-million “shortfall” in funding for a new St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association) ballpark, but such hand-wringing is just silly, silly talks from folks inexperienced in building ballparks. The issue: only $52 million has been allocated by the state, city and the Saints for the ballpark, demolition work on […]
Lease officially approved in Wilmington
Though both sides had agreed to the terms, a lease for a new Wilmington (N.C.) ballpark with Mandalay Baseball Properties and the Atlanta Braves was officially approved by the City Council. As you’ll recall, the three announced last Friday that all sides had agreed to a lease that called for a Braves-owned Wilmington team to […]