Archives: Jan. 29-Feb. 4, 2007
Florida legislative leaders back tax help for sports
Posted Feb. 2, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Florida taxpayers could foot the bill for up to $540 million worth of facilities construction and renovations for Florida’s nine major-league sports teams under a plan that has won a preliminary nod from Gov. Charlie Crist and legislative leaders. The Florida Marlins would be eligible for up to $60 million in funding from the program. The legislative proposal would require teams to disclose how the money is used and mandates they repay the state if the team moves. Several teams have already received state aid; the proposal from Crist would make all nine major-league teams eligible for another round at what’s being sold as a sales-tax rebate. Given there are some serious financial issues facing the state — including the future of Florida’s insurance in the wake of hurricanes — you can bet there will be some serious opposition to $540 million in state sales-tax rebates.
Wilder letter demanded deed to Diamond
Posted Feb. 2, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
In a letter on Wednesday to the regional authority that says it owns The Diamond, the home of the Richmond Braves (Class AAA; International League), the city demanded the deed to the facility. Yesterday, however, Mayor L. Douglas Wilder backed away from the demand, according to the chairman of the Richmond Metropolitan Authority. Chesterfield and Henrico counties are equal partners with Richmond on ownership and maintenance of the ballpark, but with the demand Wilder has apparently instilled a little bad blood into discussions over a new facility for the Braves.
Mets want All-Stars to light up new park
Posted Feb. 2, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The New York Mets have put in their request to host the All-Star Game, but that won’t happen until 2011 — and even that might be a stretch. The St. Louis Cardinals are slated to host the event in 2009, and given that Bud Selig has expressed his determination to alternate host cities between leagues, that would put the Mets in the queue for the 2011 game. But there are many who want to see the Arizona Diamondbacks host the game at Chase Field, and the San Diego Padres are also expected to make a push to host the game. That could conceivable put the Mets in line to host in 2015. We don’t expect MLB to wait that long to throw its annual showcase in the world’s media center, however.
Once again, it’s all about the Yankees
Posted Feb. 2, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The renaming of Lackawanna County Stadium to PNC Field didn’t please everyone in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, as some feel too much emphasis is being placed on the affiliation of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (Class AAA; International League) with the New York Yankees. Indeed, the northeast regional president of PNC Bank — a native of Scranton, no less — admitted the $1.1 million naming-rights purchase was due more to the Yankees than anything having to do with the minor-league club. More on the deal, which also calls for the installation of PNC ATMs in the ballpark and a payout system where the New York Yankees, Mandalay Sports and the county divvy up the revenues equally, from the Scranton Times-Tribune.
Mets look to explore Ghana
Posted Feb. 2, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The New York Yankees established a training facility in China, and the New York Mets are heading in a different direction: Ghana. Mets general manager Omar Minaya was part of a contingent of major-league representatives who traveled yesterday to the African nation of Ghana on a four-day goodwill tour. The group, which includes major-league executive Bob Watson, Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, former Dodger players Dusty Baker and Reggie Smith, and former Mets pitcher Al Jackson, will distribute baseball equipment and conduct clinics, with the intent of generating interest in the sport.
Delegation seeks funds for Harry Grove Stadium renovations
Posted Feb. 2, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Frederick County lawmakers are seeking $2 million in state funding for renovations to city-owned Harry Grove Stadium, the home of the Frederick Keys (High Class A; Carolina League). The $2 million request in state money for the ballpark may replace $500,000 in funding cut by the county, Weldon said. Originally, Comcast — which owned the Keys baseball team before selling it to Maryland Baseball Holding — lobbied the city, county and state to contribute $9 million to refurbish the facility. A new board of county commissioners struck the $500,000 from the fiscal 2007 budget in December 2006.
Team pushing ahead on mixed-use ballpark plan
Posted Feb. 2, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The developer working with the independent American Association on a mixed-use development that includes a new ballpark says it will drop all options for a downtown Dallas facility and will instead work with surrounding communities on the project. Transwestern’s Urban Advisory Group, working since June 2006 to assemble the site, doesn’t sound confident of having something in place by the 2008 season; the mixed-use development was slated to have retail space, the ballpark and 1,400 apartments on 20 acres of land.
Governor boosts ballpark funding formula
Posted Feb. 1, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
In a complicated deal like the one envisioned by MLB, Miami-Dade County and the city of Miami to finance a new ballpark for the Florida Marlins, the devil is in the details — as this inaccurately upbeat article on progress shows. First, none of the three main players have stepped up to increase their contributions to the ballpark project; all they’ve done is work to identify other funding sources. Touted in this article is the potential of including Community Redevelopment Authority money, but CRA board members have been adamantly on the record as opposing any such support. Gov. Charlie Crist has expressed general interest in state funding for a ballpark (indeed, despite the headline and the breathless tone of the "scoop," Crist already expressed support for the project last month), but the real power is with the Florida Legislature — and it remains to be seen whether the projected $2 million yearly payment toward a ballpark is viable. (Two issues: whether the Marlins would qualify for a second bite at the apple — Dolphin Stadium already receives funds targeted for the baseball team — and whether expanding it would leave the door open for other sports franchises, like the NBA’s Orlando Magic, to request the funds.) And it’s doubtful whether a new retractable-roof ballpark would come in at $420 million, a number the Marlins have used for several years now. So the devil is truly in the details, and a lot of things need to happen before any ground is overturned in downtown Miami for a new ballpark.
Vancouver Canadians sold
Posted Feb. 1, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
For a reported $7 million, Fred Herrmann has sold the Vancouver Canadians (short season; Northwest League) to Vancouver business leaders and baseball fanatics Jake Kerr, managing partner of Lignum Forest Products LLP, and Jeff Moody, executive chairman of A&W Food Services Canada. The two men have formed the Vancouver Professional Baseball Partnership to manage the team and operate venerable Nat Bailey Stadium. With a long-term renewable lease from the park board and pending approval from Major League Baseball, Kerr and Moody have made plans to spruce up the old place and continue the summer tradition of pro-ball at the Nat. The group plans to make the Nat Bailey Stadium exterior look like it did when it opened, with flags, graphics and baseball art. A baseball museum will be set up to display memorabilia. There will be more barbecue space, additional parking, an improved children’s play area, a renovated concourse and enhanced food offerings.
Snag in talks delays hearing on project
Posted Feb. 1, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
A snag in negotiations over Ballpark Village, the proposed development next to Busch Stadium, the home of the St. Louis Cardinals, forced a City Hall hearing to be canceled on Wednesday, a move that threatens to delay the project for more than two months. The mayor’s office attributed the holdup to haggling over legal language. A key alderman said the delay came from significant changes sought by the developer. Neither city officials nor members of the Cardinals’ development partner would say what, exactly, was being discussed. Five bills regarding Ballpark Village were submitted Friday to the Board of Aldermen. The measures are aimed at helping the Cardinals and their development partner, Baltimore-based Cordish Co., get more than $115 million in public subsidies for the $387 million first phase of the project. Plans for Ballpark Village include six blocks of stores, condos and restaurants on the land next to the new Busch Stadium, the same spot where the old ballpark once stood. The Cardinals own the real estate and have teamed up with Cordish, a firm that has built urban entertainment districts around the country.
New for 2007: PNC Field
Posted Feb. 1, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Lackawanna County Stadium, the home of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (Class AAA; International League), has a new name: PNC Field. The Pittsburgh-based financial services firm is paying $1.1 million for a three-year naming-rights contract. New signage will be in place when the Yankees open their season in April. It’s an amazing turnaround for a franchise that many had written off for dead just a year ago: with a new parent, new management team, new naming-rights revenue and ballpark renovations in the works, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre may be one of the new hotspots in minor-league baseball this coming season.
Renovation work on Pirate City begins
Posted Feb. 1, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Demolition work has started on the dormitories at the Pittsburgh Pirates’ minor-league spring complex in Bradenton, where a new housing unit is to be built by February 2008. The dormitories and offices needed to be razed after a mold problem that forced the building to be closed in May 2005. The new, three-story building will include offices and 82 housing units, 10 more than in the old complex. With the state of Florida contributing $15 million to the project, the Pirates will get new housing for their minor league players, an additional practice field, a renovated and expanded clubhouse, an expanded parking lot and new fencing. The project also includes an upgrading at McKechnie Field, the Pirates’ spring-training ballpark that is located about four miles from the minor-league complex.
Springdale ballpark construction budget approved
Posted Feb. 1, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The new Springdale ballpark for the relocated Wichita Wranglers (Class AA; Texas League) will carry a strong bench when construction starts, with a reserve of $2.8 million. The City Council, in a special meeting Wednesday, approved a construction budget for the baseball stadium that leaves $2.8 million in reserve. The budget calls for construction expenses of $48.09 million and available funds of $50.935 million. The city expected to have slightly less than $50 million available for construction, said Mayor Jerre Van Hoose. The extra funds came from two sources. The bonds sold to raise money for the project received premium prices and the city deposited the bond money and drew better-than-expected rates on certificates of deposit. Allowing for the time when the funds will be needed, projections call for the bond money to draw $1.5 million in interest.
Rowan County won’t partner with sports complex
Posted Feb. 1, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The City of Kannapolis and the Kannapolis Intimidators (Low Class A; Sally League) are looking at a multimillion-dollar sports complex at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium. But Rowan County, which owns a majority of the ballpark, will not go along with the plans.
Outdated Yankee Stadium should be history
Posted Feb. 1, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Another screed against Yankee Stadium. We’re fairly hardcore when it comes to ballpark preservation, but we couldn’t muster up enough indignation to oppose the demolition of Yankee Stadium and the construction of a new one across the way. Why? Because the current Yankee Stadium really isn’t the same as the original Yankee Stadium; that one died in the 1970s. The best things about the current Yankee Stadium are the memories and the fans, and both presumably will be in abundance when the new Yankee Stadium opens.
Putting the squeeze on college baseball
Posted Feb. 1, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
A columnist for a Honolulu newspaper complains about the college season starting later next season — practices will begin February 1, to be exact — as a way to level the playing field for northern colleges. It will compress the college-baseball season: the new rule will force schools to cram their 56-game regular season into a tighter time frame. Instead of 16 weeks over which to spread the 56 games, next year will mean jamming them into 12. That’s still not the greatest solution, but this is a situation where there weren’t any great solutions: staying with the status quo would have continued hurting northern schools (giving an incredible recruiting advantage to warm-weather schools), and extending the season into June would cost too much money.
USC delays ballpark building start to June
Posted Feb. 1, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
University of South Carolina baseball coach Ray Tanner still expects to open next season at the team’s new ballpark, even though groundbreaking has been delayed until this summer. The pre-construction phase of the project, estimated at $24 million, has taken longer than expected. Bids go out today for demolition of buildings on the property, the area at the intersection of Blossom and Williams street. That means the construction of the yet-to-be-named facility will not start until June or July, according to Tanner. But USC officials have maintained that once groundbreaking takes place, the ballpark can be finished in time for the Gamecocks to play there in February 2008.
Lynx to honor highlights in team history
Posted Feb. 1, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
This is the last season for the Ottawa Lynx (Class AAA; International League), as the franchise is moving next season to Allentown, Pa. The team is doing a survey of fans to select the highlights of the previous 14 seasons of baseball. As future Lynx players shake off an off-season’s worth of rust, Lynx staff will pore over the entries and pick the best, the funniest, the most heartfelt memories to be featured in the 2007 edition of Grand Slam Magazine, the Lynx program and yearbook. Check out the team’s Web site for more information.
Ballpark Notes
Posted Feb. 1, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Binghamton Mets (Class AA; Eastern League) have filled out their full-time employee roster with a pair of new faces: Video Production Director Eric Long and Events Coordinator Heith Tracy-Bronson. The installation of a video scoreboard for the 2007 season necessitated the addition of an accomplished and talented expert in the field that the team discovered in Long. Prior to joining the B-Mets, this Pennsylvania State University graduate with a degree in film worked for the Reading Royals (ECHL) and the Lancaster Barnstormers (independent; Atlantic League). To complete his academic requirements for a bachelor’s degree in sports management from Ithaca College, Tracy-Bronson fulfilled an internship with the ballclub throughout 2006. A lifelong resident of Broome County, this 27-year-old Whitney Point High School alumnus and Binghamton resident will help in the team’s focus on enhanced atmosphere of fun at the ballpark through sponsorships, group sales and promotions….Broadcasters Tom Hamilton and Mike Hegan have signed contract extensions with the Indians Radio Network. Hamilton, entering his 18th season with the Indians, signed a five-year extension to do games through the 2011 season….
CRA board members: Look somewhere else for ballpark funds
Posted Jan. 31, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
A plan to use community redevelopment funds to help pay for a downtown Miami ballpark for the Florida Marlins has already hit a snag: A majority of members of the Miami Community Redevelopment Agency said they would not support using agency money to close a funding gap for the project on nine acres downtown. Officials from MLB, Miami-Dade County and the city of Miami have been working to close a funding gap between existing revenue sources and the cost of a retractable-roof ballpark. Using CRA money was a plan thrown out by county and city officials — apparently without consultation with agency officials. There’s still a good chance some sort of state funding will come through (Gov. Charlie Crist has already spoken generally in favor of state aid), so the project is certainly not doomed.