It will mark the end of an era: the Omaha Storm Chasers (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) are set to vacate historic Rosenblatt Stadium this week, but the ballpark will probably be left standing for several months before demolition begins.
Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium has been home to baseball in Omaha since it opened, and the decision to build a new downtown ballpark for the College World Series and the subsequent choice by the Storm Chasers to pursue a new Sarpy County ballpark, Werner Park, certainly sealed the ballpark’s fate. It was a pretty good 2010 for the old place: lots of folks made one last pilgrimage for an event of some sort.
But it is the end of the era, as the Storm Chasers are set to move to their new digs this week.
What happens next is still up in the air. The Henry Doorly Zoo is slated to take possession of the ballpark and land at some point, but officials there say they don’t have the money to tear down the ballpark (despite earlier reports that Warren Buffett had donated funds specifically for that purpose). We’re guessing it will be either early spring or late summer when the old ballpark is torn down: Omaha officials won’t want to do it at any point close to the College World Series.
RELATED STORIES: New for 2011: The Omaha Storm Chasers; New for 2011: Werner Park; New turf goes down this week in in Sarpy County
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