As envisioned, a new Green Bay Bullfrogs‘ (summer collegiate; Northwoods League) ballpark at the Shipyard would be a versatile facility capable of hosting multiple types of events.
The Bullfrogs and parent company Big Top Baseball are involved in plans for the Shipyard. The Shipyard’s development concept includes a new ballpark along with other amenities, including an indoor concert venue and restaurant.
Green Bay officials recently took a major step forward by approving development agreements for the Shipyard, which would be constructed north of Mason Street from Broadway to the Fox River. The concept is something that Big Top Baseball foresees as not only providing the Bullfrogs with a better home than Joannes Stadium, but also leading to a ballpark that can be used for more than just baseball. More from the Green Bay Press-Gazette:
A new stadium would give Big Top Baseball a versatile venue to expand its programming to include minor league soccer, large community festivals, outdoor concerts and other events. And it would give the city a project that could spur revitalization of long-vacant land on the western shore of the Fox River near where South Broadway passes under Mason Street.
[Conor] Caloia said both factors help explain why the project’s price tag is a little larger and the scope a little broader than recent stadium projects in the state.
“The Shipyard is intriguing because it’s a multipurpose site. At Joannes, we wouldn’t be able to do all the things we want to do at the Shipyard,” Caloia said. “The property’s been sitting there for decades and we think this event center will spur additional economic development around it.”
The ballpark is estimated to cost $9.5 million, with the Bullfrogs contributing $1 million upfront plus an annual payment of $225,000 over the course of a 20-year lease.
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