The Kannapolis City Council approved the design of a new downtown ballpark for the Kannapolis Intimidators (Low A; Sally League), with a final decision on $37 million in funding set for later this spring.
Kannapolis is seeking to transform its downtown with the ballpark project; the city had acquired wide swaths of land with the goal of attracting development and foot traffic. The ballpark would be at the K-Town Furniture location, close to the Gem Theatre and the North Carolina Research Campus. The Intimidators currently play at Intimidators Stadium, a site with some specific limitations (it’s in a watershed, so the ballpark footprint can’t be expanded). With the presence of new owner Reese Smith III, the team has pursued a new downtown ballpark.
The new ballpark will seat 5,800 (3,800 fixed seats, 2,000 berm capacity), with a team store, 360-degree concourse, outfield bar, and eight suites. Opening date is still up in the air; 2020 is definitely possible, but a 2019 launch could happen. Kansas City-based Populous prepared the schematics approved last night; Barton Malow is expected to oversee construction.
Next up: finalizing a budget based on the schematic plan approved by the council last night.
RELATED STORIES: Potential New Kannapolis Intimidators Ballpark: $38.8M, 5,780 Capacity; Study: Intimidators Attendance Would More Than Double in New Ballpark; Downtown Kannapolis Master Plan Calls for New Ballpark; Kannapolis: We’ll Take Year to Map Out New Ballpark Plan; Intimidators Sold to Reese Smith III; Kannapolis acquires 46 downtown acres; new ballpark next?; Kannapolis eyes new downtown Intimidators ballpark