Developers have until the end of the month to submit proposals for the site of a new Sarpy County ballpark.
Developers have until the end of the month to submit proposals for the site of a new Sarpy County ballpark.
A letter sent out by project consultant Kermit Brashear lays out exactly what the county is looking for — 40 acres, which will provide enough room for a ballpark and a two-sheet ice arena — as well as what the county is willing to pay: as little as possible. In fact, Brashear is quite upfront about saying the county would look more favorably on proposal that involve donated or deeply discounted land, as opposed as a fair-market transaction.
No surprise: the potential future home of the Omaha Royals (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) is positioned as a draw and could complement an existing development or bring people to a new one:
"It is our expectation that the applicant’s ability to develop around the stadium and the potential pavilion will offset the expense of ‘giving away’ or selling the site at a reduced price," Brashear wrote.
Several developers and landowners are expected to submit proposals.
The project is under a deadline of sorts: an exclusive negotiating period between the county and the O-Royals expires March 15. You can expect a lot of talk between then and now, as the state legislature is also debating three bills that would allow, among other things, Sarpy County to set up an entertainment district where tax revenues generated by the ballpark would be used to pay debt on it.
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