Archives: July 9-July 15, 2005
Twins ballpark stall raises costs
Posted July 15, 2005
Minnesota Twins officials say waiting a year for state approval of a Hennepin County sales tax to partially pay for a new Twins ballpark could push the total price of the $478 million ballpark up by 5 percent. State officials say they may call a special session this fall to deal with issues like the Twins ballpark, left unresolved as leaders spent most of the last three months fighting over a state budget. There are other complications to waiting: the makeup of the Hennepin County board could change in fall elections, and a new board may not be as eager to tackle the issue of ballpark financing. If it doesn’t happen this fall, it could be years before a Twins ballpark proposal gains any traction.
Grizzlies, league dismiss sale tales
Posted July 15, 2005
Officials from the Fresno Grizzlies and the Pacific Coast League say there are no imminent decisions about a possible sale of the team, despite reports the league would be considering a proposal during the All-Star break. The Grizzlies franchise is owned by the 60-member Diamond Group, and some members say they are indeed looking for new investors or possibly someone to come in and buy a majority ownership. The Grizzlies are locked into Fresno for 26 more years, but moving the team has never been mentioned by anyone (a little red herring thrown into the discussion by Grizzles and PCL officials, by the way); the issue is better management of the team in Fresno, which has been an issue the past few years.
Controversy swirls around Marion ballpark development
Posted July 15, 2005
The same day the new broke about an ownership group agreeing to buy the South Bend Silver Hawks (Class A; Midwest League) and move the team to Marion, Ill., Marion city leaders faced various issues surrounding the ballpark. Illinois GOP Chairman Andrew McKenna continued his demand for an investigation of a $3 million state award to the ballpark (he claims it’s tainted because attorney John Simmons, a mover and shaker behind the project, is a political ally of Gov. Rod Blagojevich) even though he’s not actually filed a formal complaint with the county attorney. (McKenna has sent a letter to the county attorney, but in Illinois — as McKenna surely knows — an investigation is triggered only when a formal complaint is filed.) Blagojevich spokesman Andrew Ross fired back, pointing out McKenna and his family are intimately involved with professional sports in the Chicago area and surely benefited from the largesse of taxpayers. More from The Southern, the Marion Daily Republican and the Indianapolis Star, while the South Bend Tribune is already looking ahead to a Northern League team.
Hays: 2 tax projects’ OK will give NLR ‘a booster shot’
Posted July 15, 2005
There are two reasons why civic officials tend to back away from saying ballparks will be great economic engines for a community: it’s not always true, and people are skeptical of the claim. Both these factors popped up when North Little Rock Mayor Patrick Hays pitched a temporary sales-tax increase as a way to pay for a new ballpark for the Arkansas Travelers (Class AA; Texas League). Some local citizens were aghast at the idea of raising taxes for a ballpark and argued they were being nickeled and dimed to death.
Task force in talks for Monroe ballpark complex
Posted July 15, 2005
A Monroe (N.J.) task force is considering four properties for the future siting of a minor league ballpark, residential housing, retail establishments and other amenities. The Route 33 Land Development Task Force, assembled by Mayor Richard Pucci and headed by township Environmental Protection Manager Joe Montanti, has been looking into future development possibilities along the state corridor in light of the idea that a ballpark will be built there. There’s been some controversy already about such a proposal, as some residents say it would ruin the rural nature of the area.
Foltin throws pitch to county
Posted July 15, 2005
Lorain Mayor Craig Foltin will work with Lorain County Administrator Jim Cordes over the next few weeks in an effort to get city and county plans together for a ballpark at Campana Park. The ballpark would be home for either the Ohio Valley Redcoats or an expansion Independent Frontier League team. Foltin said even if the Missouri-based Ohio Valley Redcoats, which are looking for a new home, don’t choose to come to Lorain, league officials expressed interest in bringing an expansion team here. No matter what team comes to the city, it will be called the Lorain Steelmen, he said. The field, conceptually called Lorain Municipal Stadium, would be made of recycled materials such as concrete, fencing and steel supports, and the $870,000 construction price would include offices, locker rooms and showers; funding would come from recycling grants. More from the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Bank of America inks MiLB deal
Posted July 15, 2005
Bank of America Corp. has signed a sponsorship deal with Minor League Baseball. The agreement, which extends through 2008, gives Charlotte, N.C.-based BofA exclusive national advertising rights for banking and financial-services companies with Minor League Baseball. BofA will also be the sole presenting sponsor of the baseball winter meetings, providing BofA with on-site branding and hospitality opportunities. The bank will also establish a preferred-lender program for minor-league teams to use to for ballpark construction, remodeling and other projects.
Small town decides to buy baseball franchise
Posted July 15, 2005
The Edenton Steamers of the college wood-bat Coastal Plain League is the newest team with community ownership. After the CPL put a team in this small town in 1998, then started looking for a buyer two years later. Afraid someone might take the Steamers elsewhere, a group of locals got together and formed a board of directors to see if enough money could be raised to purchase the team. The asking price was $125,000, and after accumulating about 75 percent of the money, the rest was borrowed. The franchise was theirs.
Everybody’s a winner at Skylands Park
Posted July 15, 2005
Here’s a look at what goes on during New Jersey Cardinals (short season; NY-Penn League) games. It’s kind of a nasty article, really, saying the promotional contests are rigged because there are so many owners. Earth to reporter: that’s the point. (Thanks to John Cerone.)
Harrington still haunts Fenway as ‘owner’
Posted July 15, 2005
Oh, that pesky paperwork. Former Red Sox owner John Harrington is listed on Boston city documents as being the owner of Fenway Park despite a sale of the team and the ballpark several years ago. The irony, of course, is Harrington’s determination to replace the venerable ballpark with a new facility — while new owners (led by John Henry) have worked to spiff up and stay at Fenway.
New Alex Box Stadium clears latest hurdle
Posted July 15, 2005
The proposed new ballpark for LSU cleared another hurdle last week when the Louisiana Architects Selection Board recommended one local firm and one international firm to design the stadium in a joint venture, LSU officials said Wednesday. The university athletic department expects Gov. Kathleen Blanco to approve its request for $23.5 million in bonded money for the construction of the facility, to be called Alex Box Stadium, when she signs House Bill 2. For more on college baseball, visit College Baseball Digest.
Disch-Falk renovations to begin soon
Posted July 15, 2005
The University of Texas plans $18 million in renovations to Disch-Falk Field. The renovations will include an outside facade more consistent with the rest of the UT campus facilities like Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. A new club level will help pay an $11 million bond for the renovations. The AstroTurf will stay for now; when it wears out the university will decide to stay with turf or go with grass. For more on college baseball, visit College Baseball Digest.
South Bend to Marion
Posted July 14, 2005
As you’ve seen us predict more than once, a group containing attorney John Simmons has reached an agreement to buy the South Bend Silver Hawks (Class A; Midwest League) and is planning to move the team to Marion, Ill., when a new ballpark there is completed. Attendance for Silver Hawks games has been respectable — around 200,000 a year, putting the team in the middle of the Midwest League — but reportedly sponsorship dollars have lagged (let’s face it: Notre Dame is the 800-pound gorilla in South Bend). With the announcement, the Northern League confirmed it was already looking at placing an expansion team in South Bend. The Silver Hawks’ lease at Covaleski Stadium runs through 2008. Palisades Baseball, which is selling the team, will continue to run it after the sale and before any move. This may not be the only move in the Midwest League in the next few years; word is Beloit ownership might also be looking at making a move.
Cropp still talking private financing for D.C. ballpark
Posted July 14, 2005
D.C. Council President Linda Cropp is still discussing partial private financing of a new Washington Nationals with officials from Deutsche Bank, despite an earlier determination from District officials that the plan would actually cost the District more on the long run. In May, discussion on private financing was tabled by the council after it became clear no proposal had the votes to pass. At the time, some council members said the Deutsche Bank proposal would increase the total cost of the ballpark and said the investment bank was not taking on enough risk, as its financing was tied to a specific revenue stream: money from concessions. Whether this leads to anything remains to be seen: the next scheduled meeting for the council is October 1.
NLR promotion panel salutes stadium, not tax
Posted July 14, 2005
The North Little Rock Advertising and Promotion Commission is lending its support to a downtown ballpark for the Arkansas Travelers (Class AA; Texas League) without specifically backing the sales tax increase required to build the ballpark. North Little Rock voters are to consider in an Aug. 9 special election a 1 percent, two-year city sales tax increase to build the ballpark.
Rascals are succeeding on the field, but have fallen behind in attendance
Posted July 14, 2005
The River City Rascals (independent; Frontier League) are competitive on the field this year, but off the field things are on the slow side. Attendance is down to 2,628 fans a game, down from 4,111 a year ago. Team officials say finances are in good shape despite the downturn, but some fans have expressed displeasure at increased concession prices, fewer promotions, and less entertainment at T.R. Hughes Ballpark this season.
Lorain pitches cheaper field at Campana Park for Frontier League team
Posted July 13, 2005
Lorain officials are talking with independent Frontier League officials about placing a team at a new ballpark in that city next season. The Ohio Valley Redcoats have been a road team of sorts this season (playing some games in Lorain), and Mayor Craig Foltin is proposing a 4,000-seat, $870,000 ballpark in Campana Park that would permanently house the Lorain Steelmen, The city is breaking away from the Lorain Port Authority’s and Lorain County Chamber of Commerce’s concept of building a 4,500-seat, $5 million ballpark on 24 acres along the Black River. The field at Campana Park, which is major-league regulation size — 330 feet to right and left fields and 400 feet to center — is on the city’s west side between West 21st Street, Westpark Drive and Meister Road. The field already has lights and utilities in place, Carrion said. The field, conceptually called Lorain Municipal Stadium, would be made of recycled materials such as concrete, fencing and steel supports, and the $870,000 construction price would include offices, locker rooms and showers; funding would come from recycling grants. Frontier League commissioner Bill Lee didn’t sound thrilled with the idea, saying the league was looking at several proposals for the Redcoats; National Sports Service is also working with the port authority on the more expensive plan.
Selig: Marlins need new ballpark
Posted July 13, 2005
Bud Selig once again praised Miami as a home for the Florida Marlins, but warned the team needs a new home if the franchise is to be there in 20 years. "I’m always concerned about teams that need new stadiums. And it’s obvious they do,” Selig said. "’Does South Florida have the demographics to be a major-league market? Of course they do. No question Somehow there has to be the political will and the private sector will to get a stadium deal. They are struggling mightily." It’s pretty clear Dolphins Stadium is not the long-term solution for the team. A proposal for a new retractable-roof ballpark next to the Orange Bowl is on hold while Marlins and local officials seek to close a $60-million funding gap. In a press conference, Bud Selig also detailed plans for future All-Star games: Pittsburgh will host the 2006 matchup and San Francisco will host the 2007 game, with American League cities holding the 2008 and 2010 games and National League cities hosting the 2009 and 2011 games. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.