The Quad Cities River Bandits (Low Class A; Midwest League) received approval to add a Ferris wheel, carousel and zipline to Modern Woodmen Park for the 2013 season.
The new features, which includes a $1 million price tag for the Ferris wheel, would be funded by the River Bandits. Yesterday the Davenport City Council approved a Modern Woodmen Park lease amendment. Construction of the new features would begin in April and be completed for June games. From the Quad Cities Times:
Main Street managing partner David Heller made a presentation to the levee commission that included plans for a Ferris wheel out past left field, a carousel along the right field line where bounce houses and other kid-friendly activities will be located, as well as a zipline that will run from right field to left field.
“It is as beautiful a ball park as you’ll find anywhere in the country,” Heller told the levee commission. “It is not just a beautiful stadium and place to develop major league baseball players, but a focal point and gathering place for the community.
“We’ll get people for baseball,” he said. “I want to get them before games, on non-game days, all summer long.”
This fits into the operating philosophy of Heller and co-owner Bob Herrfeldt: the team budgets and plans for a big ballpark improvement every year. Every team should look at this model, as it keeps fans coming back to the ballpark to see what’s new.
Image courtesy of the Quad Cities River Bandits.
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