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Sugar Land approves MOU with Opening Day Partners

The Sugar Land (Texas) City Council unanimously approves an exclusive negotiating period for a new ballpark with Opening Day Partners.

The Sugar Land (Texas) City Council unanimously approved an exclusive negotiating period for a new ballpark with Opening Day Partners, giving Peter Kirk 90 days to lay out his plans for a new ballpark in the midst of a new city entertainment district.

As envisioned by Sugar Land, a new ballpark would open in 2012.

Opening Day Partners has built and developed 14 ballparks in the last 30 years both on the independent and affiliated levels. Most recently the group has been developing independent Atlantic League ballparks and owning teams in that circuit. 

Sugar Land has had talked with several owners of affiliated teams after approving a bond measure in 2007 to build the entertainment/sports complex, but the front office of the Houston Astros has been adamant in its opposition to any affiliated team entering the market. That leaves the indy leagues; but we're told to date the focus of discussions with Sugar Land has been less about the type of baseball played there versus the type of facility Opening Day Partners can deliver. The American Association would be a good fit for the Houston suburb, but don't count out United League Baseball, either; we know Kirk and crew have had chats with the ULB folks in the past. And, of course, Kirk has worked on other ballpark projects with affiliated leagues in mind; his ballpark proposal in Richmond didn't preclude an affiliated team signing a lease as a tenant.

RELATED STORIES: Sugar Land, Opening Day Partners negotiating new-ballpark deal; Sugar Land seeks proposals for ballpark; The latest from Omaha: Stein to rethink Sarpy move; Wolff loves a 24,000-seat ballpark; Today's big ballot issue: new ballpark in Sugar Land

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