If Amarillo manages to attract the San Antonio Missions (Class AA; Texas League), a new ballpark couldn’t open until the 2019 season unless action is taken in October, according to city officials.
The city is in a Catch-22: Amarillo won’t move forward with planning for a new ballpark without a commitment from the team’s owner, the Elmore Group, but no letter of intent has been forthcoming, and unless something happens in October, the window of opportunity for a 2018 opening will pass. Any possible move of a team to Amarillo would be part of a process that begins with the move of the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) to a new San Antonio ballpark, but a funding plan for that was recently put onto the back burner by the city. Once that San Antonio ballpark becomes a certainty, Elmore Group can look for a new home for the Missions, and Amarillo isn’t the only city seeking the franchise: Wichita is looking at issuing bonds for a new city development that would include a complete reconstruction of Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. From Amarilo.com:
“Folks in San Antonio are going through their process, but the city is still very optimistic about bringing baseball to Amarillo,” Interim City Manager Terry Childers said Thursday.
Childers would not further expand on the proposed deal.
“I really am not at liberty to go into any specifics,” he said. “We are in good, constant conversation with our friends in San Antonio.”
RELATED STORIES: Amarillo Still Considering Ballpark; City Suspends Planning on San Antonio Triple-A Bid; Wichita Prepping Bid for Texas League Return; Should Wichita Pursue Texas League Team?; Lubbock Passes on Ballpark Vote; Lubbock: Let’s Slow Down New Ballpark Talk; Lubbock Poised to Steal Missions from Amarillo?; Amarillo Waits While San Antonio Plan Develops; No Plans For Releasing San Antonio Study; Amarillo Officials Look at Hotel Taxes for Ballpark Construction;Elmore Sports Group Confirms Potential Sky Sox Move to San Antonio;Colorado Spring Sky Sox to San Antonio? Maybe; New Amarillo Ballpark Cost: $48.4 Million;Amarillo debating play for San Antonio Missions; Amarillo voters approve new downtown ballpark; Will vote really decide Amarillo ballpark fate?; Road map for Texas League to Amarillo;Amarillo companies commit to ballpark suites; Debate over new Amarillo ballpark rages on;Amarillo ballpark battle in works this fall; Future of new Amarillo ballpark in doubt