It’s been a rough few years for the Memphis Redbirds (Triple-A; International League): After being denied state funding for an extensive renovation, Memphis officials are now raising the prospect of pulling all city funding for AutoZone Park.
When AutoZone Park opened in downtown Memphis in 2000, it was hailed both as a successful investment in a struggling downtown and the model for a ballpark centered on civic pride. As envisioned by a nonprofit organization and longtime baseball exec Dave Chase, AutoZone Park was part of a larger development model featuring a Civil Rights museum and an annual MLB Civil Rights game.
But funding for a museum never happened, MLB lost interest in an annual Memphis Civil Rights game, and the team was eventually sold to private owners. It’s now controlled by Diamond Baseball Holdings, by far the largest owner of the MiLB teams, back with private equity.
As you might expect in a ballpark opening in 2000, there are plenty of routine maintenance issues happening as features like HVAC systems approach end-of-life milestones. And while Diamond has spent some money on upgrades, there is a host of other more expensive issues to address in terms of deferred maintenance. Add to that the cost of meeting MiLB’s latest facility requirements, and you have a situation where some big bucks are being requested.
And some big bucks were requested. When the city put together a plan for a $684 million refresh of Memphis sporting facilities, including FedExForum and Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, $55 million was allocated to AutoZone Park work. But when the plan was restructured, that money disappeared, with money shifted to FedExForum and Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. That left roughly $5 million in city money already planned for ballpark work.
Now that money is under debate, as the Memphis City Council decided to take another look at the allocation, with much discussion of whether baseball was a good investment for the city and maybe citizens could live without a downtown ballpark. A planned vote on the matter was postponed last Tuesday, with some council member speaking out against it. From Fox 13:
Some councilmembers questioned the need for the improvements and if the city needs the Memphis Redbirds — the St. Louis Cardinals’ Triple-A affiliate who play their home games at AutoZone Park — at all.
“I’ve been to many Redbirds games,” Councilman Chase Carlisle said. “I was there in ’97, but the world has changed. That was 30 years ago. I’m sorry. People are playing pickleball. They’re not going to baseball games. They are sure as heck not going to Minor League games.”
Councilman Edmund Ford Sr. chimed in.
He said, “People go to baseball games if you don’t go nowhere else … It wouldn’t make no difference if it was Double-A, Triple-A, whatever.”
That elicited a major response from the Redbirds via social media:
We should have a better idea of the situation next week when the City Council reconvenes.
RELATED STORIES: AutoZone Park renovations cut from Memphis sports spending; AutoZone Park upgrades pitched by Memphis