Archives: Feb. 25-March 2, 2008
Sounds soon to be on the market?
Posted Feb. 28, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
We’ve alluded to this possibility several times in the last six months, and now there’s explicit word out of Tennessee that the Nashville Sounds (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) may be shopped around discreetly by owner Al Gordon, with a figure of $30 million being tossed around. The number, of course, is patently absurd; the team could attract a premium because the team is free to be moved at the end of the 2008 season when its lease at Greer Stadium expires, but $30 million isn’t a very realistic figure. Reese Smith III, the incoming owner of the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx (Class AA; Southern League), is said to be interested in putting together a deal that includes a new downtown ballpark, as is the ownership of the Nashville Predators (NHL). It’s pretty clear Gordon won’t get city support for a new ballpark, but a new ownership group that includes locals could. There are a couple of intangibles at play here. If the franchise stays in Nashville — which would be preferable to most in baseball, because at the end of the day Nashville is a very good market that supports the team despite a middling facility — whoever buys the team will need to pony up millions more for a new ballpark. An interesting twist is that city officials are being coy about signing a new lease with the Sounds; there’s nothing forcing the city to do business with Gordon, though it would be cutting off a nose to spite a face, since no other affiliated team would be allowed into the market. Sometimes an owner needs to walk away from a bad situation, and given the problems Gordon and crew have had in obtaining a new ballpark in downtown Nashville, that time appears to be now for the Sounds. More on the tensions and the city from the Tennessean and columnist Gail Kerr.
Omaha formally commits to 24,000-seat downtown ballpark
Posted Feb. 28, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Omaha Mayor Mick Fahey formally unveiled a plan for a 24,000-seat ballpark, which could be expanded to 35,000, a day after presenting the plan to NCAA leaders in an attempt to keep the College World Series in the Nebraska city. The cost of the project is projected at $127.84 million, not including $11.95 million to retire debt associated with the last renovation of Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium. The new ballpark, to be built in a parking lot near the Qwest Center, would be funded with a 1-percentage point rise in the city’s hotel tax and a $2 surcharge on car rentals. City officials say they are budgeting $59.24 million toward the project and expect to attract $42.95 million in private donations to make up the difference, as well as $37.6 million from naming rights, parking fees, seat taxes and leases with the Omaha Royals (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) and the Creighton Bluejays, though neither have committed to the project. The goal was to lure the NCAA into extending its lease for the College World Series, but reaction from the NCAA was muted, as the organization issued a statement praising the plan but not committing to a extension past 2010. Politically, we’re not sure the project is any farther along than it was a week or so ago: hotel owners are still opposed to the tax — which puts the city hotel tax rate among the highest in the nation — and officials from Qwest Center were not present at the press conference, though we did hear later from reps from the organization they were willing to work on a management deal for the ballpark. Also, part of the funding relies on a diversion of funds from Douglas County, and officials there aren’t pleased. More from AP.
IronPigs receive keys to new ballpark
Posted Feb. 28, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Owners of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Class AAA; International League) and Lehigh County officials held a ceremony yesterday to mark the official handing over of Coca Cola Park to the team. The IronPigs received a ceremonial key to the ballpark, while the county received a ceremonial check for $1.29 million, the first of 30 annual payments from Gracie Baseball, owners of the team. The current price tag for the ballpark is $49.4 million, with $18.5 million coming from the state of Pennsylvania, $13.355 million in a hotel tax funds, and $18.12 million taxable bond pledged against rent from Gracie Baseball. It looks to be a most impressive facility (we toured last fall and can’t wait to see the action from the field-level suites). The ballpark opens next month; we’ll be there opening night if all goes well. More from the Express-Times and the Allentown Morning Call. Speaking of the IronPigs: The Majestic Clubhouse Store, the official retail store of the team, will celebrate its Grand Opening during National Pig Day on March 1 at Coca Cola Park, beginning at 9 a.m. Also slated for National Pig Day: the commencement of single-game ticket sales at the ballpark.
Saints ballpark funding lacking in state bonding bill
Posted Feb. 28, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The prospects of state funding for a new St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association) ballpark this session went down further when the influential Minnesota Senate Capital Investment Committee passed a bonding bill Tuesday night that doesn’t include any direct money for a facility or its planning. The bill does include $100,000 for the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission (MASC) to plan a regional sports facility in St. Paul for soccer, lacrosse, football and baseball, which (in theory) could contain a new ballpark. (Here’s the full bill, if you’re inclined to read the whole thing.) Given the way the MASC does things, we think it’s highly unlikely the project would end up as a St. Paul Saints ballpark, particularly given the city’s strong predilection toward supporting amateur soccer, a passion for the city’s minority population. The Saints originally made St. Paul’s state bonding request, with a later plan asking for $250,000 for predesign of a new facility. Floor action on the bonding bills in both the Senate and the House is expected next week, followed by a conference report to iron out the differences.
Tunney: Tribune Co. playing hardball with city
Posted Feb. 28, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Alderman Tom Tunney, the architect of a deal that allowed more night baseball and concerts at Wrigley Field in exchange for more neighborly behavior from the Chicago Cubs, says Tribune Co. officials are seeking to renege on earlier agreements and bring more night games and concerts to the Friendly Confines. These agreements include the designation of Wrigley Field as a landmark, which limits development in the surrounding area and the extent to which the ballpark can be renovated. To us, the increased pressure to generate more revenue from Wrigley Field smacks of a certain desperation to squeeze every last penny from the sale of the Chicago Cubs. Not that there’s anything wrong with a businessperson being aggressive, but it shows a definite distain for the notion of the Cubs and Wrigley Field as part of a public trust, something William Wrigley encouraged and something the Tribune Co. earlier supported. The most successful MLB franchises — the Red Sox, the Yankees, the Giants, the Angels — have shown a willingness to treat their franchises and ballparks as public trusts, but the Cubs’ owners are showing an alarming willingness to throw away decades of good will in pursuit of a few extra sheckels. More from the Chicago Tribune. Tunney says the sale of naming rights to Wrigley Field is inevitable; Sam Zell, who’s proving to one of the more ruthless owners in Major League Baseball — and that’s saying a lot — says he won’t hesitate in making such a deal. We are going to call BS on something else he said during an CNBC interview: he said Major League Baseball has already approved "four or six" ownership groups for the Cubs, but we’ve been told by folks close to the situation Zell is mistaken on that point.
MiLB continues charity work for 2008 season
Posted Feb. 28, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Minor League Baseball announced that it is continuing its relationships this season with its three national charity partners, The ALS Association, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Special Olympics. The Minor League Baseball office will provide information to its member clubs and league offices about these three partnerships, which have resulted in over a million dollars being raised in each of the past three years.
"A trademark of Minor League Baseball is its care of community and sense of pride in each of our cities," said Minor League Baseball President Pat O’Conner. "Our clubs support local charities with annual giving of cash and in-kind gifts in excess of $4.5-million and we are proud to once again support The ALS Association, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Special Olympics through the Minor League Baseball Charities Foundation."
The ALS Association and Big Brothers Big Sisters have been with The Minor League Baseball Charity Partner’s Program since its inception in 2004. Special Olympics joined the program the following year. The Charity Partner’s Program’s mission is to provide national exposure for these charities, expand current relationships between clubs and local chapters and to foster new relationships where none exist.
Music facing financial issues in Macon
Posted Feb. 28, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Power and water to Luther Williams Field has been cut off by the Macon Water Authority because of an outstanding bill incurred by the Macon Music (independent; South Coast League) from the 2007 season. Other vendors and employees, such as former manager Phil Plantier, say they’re owed money as well, but the team is current in its rent with the city. Plantier, in particular, was critical of how the league’s finances were run at the end of the season. The independent South Coast League plans a four-team circuit in 2008. More from Macon.com.
Stop wasting money on Rec Park and build Oaks new ballpark: newspaper
Posted Feb. 28, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
In an inversion of normal ballpark logic, the Visalia Times-Delta is calling for the city to stop spending money on a renovation of Recreation Park and instead build a new ballpark for the Visalia Oaks (High Class A; California League). Oaks owner Tom Seidler has doggedly followed his vision of turning quaint Rec Park into the Cal League version of Wrigley Field, but skyrocketing costs are threatening to derail that plan, with most of the city money pledged toward the project spent on one portion of the ballpark renovation. Normally owners are told to renovate older facilities and not to seek new ones, but the Times-Delta is taking a logical approach toward keeping baseball in Visalia.
Twins ballpark cost officially rises to $412.4 million
Posted Feb. 28, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The cost of a new downtown ballpark for the Minnesota Twins is now at $412.4 million as the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners officially approved the new budget for the ballpark. The previous budget was $390 million; the Twins will covered the increased costs, which are released to upgrades in various parts of the ballpark. Work continues apace on the ballpark; it’s impacting our afternoon drives home (I-394 is a mess; thanks, guys). More from the Star Tribune. More on the new ballpark, including some comparisons to the Metrodome, from MinnPost.
Fat dudes on a dugout coming soon to a city near you
Posted Feb. 28, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Apparently the new trend in baseball is putting dancing fat guys on a dugout and calling it entertainment. The Florida Marlins are launching a dance team called the Manatees, which will feature up to 10 fat men jiggling and dancing to music during Friday and Saturday games. The Manatees — not to be confused with the Mermaids, the all-(hot)-female dance team sponsored by the Fish — won’t be paid (they’ll get a free ticket to the game), but will instead be expected to bare their flesh for the (alleged) enjoyment of others. Not to be outdone, the York Revolution (independent; Atlantic League) are doing the same with an call for larger-than-life (or at least larger-than-average) guys to perform as the Big Hitters. The Revolution will at least throw in some food to their fat-guy team, though we think both teams would get better performances if they slipped them a few beers before showtime.
Ballpark Notes
Posted Feb. 28, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The South Georgia Peanuts (independent; South Coast League) announced the hiring of Deanna Davis as the team’s general manager for the 2008 season. Davis comes to Albany, Georgia, by way of the Frederick Keys (High Class A; Carolina League), where she served as the assistant general manager for ticketing and operations. She replaces Keith Michlig, who served as the Peanuts GM for the 2007 inaugural season….The Quad Cities River Bandits (Low Class A; Midwest League) announced a "Name the Mascot" contest. The new raccoon mascot will feature a black fedora with a red hatband along with the signature red bandana. He will wear a jersey similar to that worn by River Bandits players during home games at Modern Woodmen Park….Jon Boswell is the new media-relations manager for the Lowell Spinners (short season; NY-Penn League). The Woburn native is returning to the Spinners after serving as an intern in the Promotions and Public Relations department during the 2006 and 2007 seasons. Prior to re-joining the Spinners, Boswell had been working as the Director of Marketing for KBK Sports Marketing….. The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (High Class A; California League) have announced that their flagship radio station will be KSPA 1510am for the upcoming 2008 season. KSPA 1510am will air all 140 Quakes regular season games and will have on-air ticket giveaways and will keep Quakes fans abreast of upcoming games at the Epicenter. The Quakes will also be simulcast on the Internet….The Green Bay Bullfrogs (summer collegiate; Northwoods League) announced that all games for the upcoming 2008 season will be broadcast via the Bullfrogs Radio Network on WNFL 1440 AM. The deal will include the playoffs and the Northwoods League All-Star game from Madison on July 14th….
State: City must relax Wrigley Field landmark status if sold by Cubs
Posted Feb. 26, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
If the state of Illinois takes over ownership of Wrigley Field, the city of Chicago must relax the historic ballpark’s landmark status and set up the equivalent of a tax-increment-financing (TIF) district to help pay down bonds, according to former Gov. Jim Thompson, chairman of the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority (ISFA), the agency looking into buying the Friendly Confines. The scenario floated by Thompson has the ISFA floating bonds to pay for a renovation of Wrigley Field, made possible when the city relaxes the ballpark’s landmark status, which protects the iconic outside side at Clark and Addison, the old-fashioned manual center-field scoreboard, the ivy-covered brick home-run wall and the curve of the bleachers and grandstand. Additional revenue from things like naming rights, increased advertising and new luxury boxes would help pay off the bonds, but the city would need to hand over increased sales-tax revenues generated by these renovations to the authority to also help pay off bonds. All of this is designed to put more money back into the pockets of the ballpark’s current owners, The Tribune Co., under the assumption that the ISFA can borrow money more cheaply than a private individual and therefore pay more for the ballpark than whoever buys the Cubs. While we’re not entirely sure the ISFA can at this very moment borrow money more cheaply than someone in the private sector — the bond market is in disarray, with some action-rate bonds exceeding 10 percent, and that instability affects everyone — it should give everyone pause to consider that all of these maneuvering is solely designed to enrich The Tribune Co. at a cost to the city and its citizens. It was a big deal for Wrigley Field to be awarded landmark status, and we’re not sure city leaders are going to give that up so easily. More from the Chicago Sun-Times.
New for 2008: Fluor Field
Posted Feb. 26, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Greenville Drive (Low Class A; Sally League) and Fluor Corp., one of the world’s largest publicly traded engineering, procurement, construction and maintenance services companies, announced today that the team’s award-winning ballpark, West End Field, will be renamed Fluor Field as part of a corporate partnership between the two organizations.
Dwayne Wilson, group president of Fluor’s Industrial and Infrastructure business, and Craig Brown, Drive president and co-owner, issued a joint statement saying, "Our decision to establish this partnership is an outgrowth of our individual commitments to Greenville and the Upstate, and our mutual interests in seeing this community continue to develop as a world class place to live, work and enjoy life."
Fluor Field’s newly designed logo and signage have been approved by both organizations and will read, "Fluor Field at the West End" to maintain the ballpark’s highly acclaimed compatibility with the neighborhood’s historic character and its identification with the vibrant economic revitalization of Downtown Greenville. The newly designed Fluor Field logo and signage is scheduled to be ready for the 2008 Season Opening Weekend, April 3-6.
The Fluor/Drive relationship includes the naming of the ballpark, signage and logo representation, opportunities for Fluor to host company and community events at Fluor Field, plus other sponsorship activation initiatives.
SK Baseball breaks ground on new Reno ballpark
Posted Feb. 26, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Over 300 fans attended the groundbreaking for a new downtown Reno ballpark slated to house the relocated Tucson Sidewinders (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) beginning with the 2009 season. To say the ballpark will be built on a tight schedule is an understatement: it’s a design/build project, which means design will be ongoing while construction begins. SK Baseball is owned by mall developer and Indiana Pacers (NBA) owner Herb Simon and the Katzoff family. The ballpark will seat 6,500, with room for 3,500 more on a berm. As is the case with most ballpark projects these days, SK Baseball is working on more than just the ballpark; the development group is also planning a downtown Reno development that will include shopping and entertainment. The group released a conceptual rendering of these plans.
Visalia approves bid for Rec Park renovations
Posted Feb. 26, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Visalia City Council voted on Monday to select the $7.7 million bid of local contractor Seals-Biehly and proceed with the renovation of the right field portion of the Recreation Park, the home of the Visalia Oaks (High Class A; California League). Site preparation work (including excavation and demolition) was completed in December on a previously awarded contract. The six-month construction is expected to begin in March, take shape during the Oaks’ 2008 season and be completed in the early Fall.
Recreation Park will see a few improvements at the Oaks’ Home Opener on April 17. Fans can expect a new scoreboard and message center along with a new home team bullpen. In addition, the Oaks’ Booster Club has volunteered hundreds of hours over the winter to renovate the visiting team clubhouse and bring it to compliance with Pro Baseball standards.
The focus of the renovations was to meet the Pro Baseball Facility Standards, which would ensure professional baseball in Visalia for years to come. When renovations are complete, Recreation Park will meet Major League Baseball facility standards for the first time since the standards were set in 1985. The ballpark will also house some of the fan amenities popular in minor league ballparks around the country. Highlights of the renovation include: new outfield fence; new home and visiting team bullpens; new home and visiting dugouts (built into existing grandstand); new concession stand, including a full kitchen and five additional points of sale; new souvenir shop an