Top Menu

After Controversy, New Wichita Ballpark Design Team Chosen

Wichita ballpark Riverside Village development

After objections about the qualifications of a participant in the winning bid, the city of Wichita is moving forward with the selection of a design/build team on a new ballpark for the relocating New Orleans Baby Cakes (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League).

A city selection committee is recommending that a design-construction team of the DLR Group (Overland Park, Kan.), JE Dunn Construction (Kansas City) and three Wichita construction firms be awarded the contract. The committee chose that team over competing submissions from a Populous (Kansas City)/AECOM Hunt (Los Angeles)/two Wichita construction firms group and a HKS (Dallas)/Barton Malow (Ann Arbor)/two local firms bid.

While the committee is recommending that the DLR/JE Dunn group be selected, issues were raised over the qualifications of JE Dunn–specifically, whether the construction firm has had experience with three MiLB or MLB ballpark construction projects, and whether the experience needed to be cumulative within the group or with each design/construction firm. The response from the city, per the Wichita Eagle, is that the joint submission meets the three-ballpark criteria. Indeed, when evaluated on this level, the DLR Group alone meets the criteria, with original design credit on Steinbrenner Field (New York Yankees spring-training facility), Werner Park (Omaha Storm Chasers) and Fluor Field (Greenville Drive).

The next step will a formal vote by the City Council on the recommendation next Tuesday.

The new ballpark will be constructed on the site of Lawrence-Dumont Stadium, which will be demolished to make way for the facility. The new Wichita ballpark is set to open in time for the 2020 season, with the city expected to spend more than $80 million on project costs.

RELATED STORIES: Wichita Approves Issuance of STAR Bonds for Ballpark ProjectWichita Receives Ballpark Design and Construction BidsWichita Ballpark Development Plan UnveiledFans Take Memorabilia From Lawrence-Dumont StadiumWingnuts’ Memorabilia Auctioned from Lawrence-Dumont StadiumNew Wichita Ballpark MOU ApprovedIt’s Baby Cakes to Wichita, Southern League to New OrleansFuture of Wichita Baseball Could Become Clearer SoonWingnuts Play Final Lawrence-Dumont Stadium GameNBC: No Plans to Move World Series From WichitaFuture of Wichita Wingnuts UncertainThis is the Final Year for Wichita Wingnuts BaseballLongwell: Progress Being Made on Wichita MiLB TeamWichita Could Make MiLB Announcement in DecemberWichita Hires Consultant to Land MiLB TeamWichita Mayor: We’ll Announce MiLB Team By End of YearWichita Approves Ballpark Spending — But Downplays MiLBSedgwick County Approves TIF District for Wichita BallparkWichita Signs Off on Bond District for BallparkWichita Wingnuts Weigh on Wichita’s Ballpark PursuitDebate Over New Wichita Ballpark ContinuesWichita Making Push for MiLB TeamLawrence-Dumont Stadium Could be DemolishedWichita Approves STAR Bonds for BallparkWichita Schedules Hearing on Ballpark PlanWichita Prepping Bid for Texas League ReturnTexas League Not Interested in Lawrence-Dumont RenovationShould Wichita Pursue Texas League Team?

, , , ,