The National College Baseball Hall of Fame can count Wichita among its suitors, as the city is planning to bid for the museum.
Earlier this month, the College Baseball Foundation announced that it was dropping its plan to build a new museum in downtown Lubbock, TX. At one point, the proposal called for the National College Baseball Hall of Fame to be constructed as part of a project that included a full-size baseball field, but plans for the field were dropped, and the foundation eventually decided to expand its search.
Wichita is now planning to make a run for the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. Mayor Jeff Longwell has said that the city intends to pursue the museum, and could incorporate as part of a ballpark project. The city has been looking into landing a Minor League Baseball franchise, and Longwell believes that Wichita could be a fit for the College Baseball Foundation. More from The Wichita Eagle:
The city is creating special tax districts to finance a multi-million-dollar project to either build a new stadium or upgrade the existing Lawrence-Dumont to current standards for Major League-affiliated minor-league baseball.
The stadium plan also includes a permanent home for a museum dedicated to the history of the National Baseball Congress, an amateur baseball tournament that attracts top college players and professional prospects to play in Wichita each year.
“We’re definitely building a home for the National Baseball Congress, so 82-year history and they finally get a real home,” Longwell said. “Now how can we add to that? This opportunity just simply looks like it’s going to present itself and make that even better.”
In its April announcement, the College Baseball Foundation said that it plans to conduct a national search. “A committee has been formed, and a national search for the best location is underway,” Mike Gustafson, president and CEO of the foundation said in a statement. “It has always been the goal of the College Baseball Foundation to create a first-class facility to showcase the history of college baseball.”
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