The vast majority of residents testifying before the Eugene City Council last night over the fate of Civic Stadium had an overwhelming message: Don’t let the local school district replace the historic ballpark with a run-of-the-mill Fred Meyer grocery store in a strip mall. The school district, which owns the ballpark site, has been debating […]
Archive | Endangered Ballparks
Valcke: Baseball can work in Ottawa
Despite a poor record of Triple-A and independent baseball succeeding in Canada’s capital, Tom Valcke says that Ottawa Stadium is a gem and should not be renovated as a concert venue — rather, it should be pitched as an MiLB short-season-A home while continuing to host the Ottawa Fat Cats. Valcke is a well-known and well-respected […]
Ottawa: Ballpark should be converted to concert venue
Ottawa Stadium, the former home to International League and Can-Am League teams, should be converted to a multiuse concert and event venue, under a city-staff recommendation due for debate this week. The ballpark, formerly home to the Ottawa Lynx (Class AAA; International League) and two Can-Am League teams, is currently leased to a local semi-pro […]
Detroit rejects redevelopment plan for Tiger Stadium site
The Tiger Stadium site will remain empty for the foreseeable future, as the Detroit Economic Development Corporation rejected a $65.3 million redevelopment proposal for the site that could have brought innovation to the 9.4-acre site while maintaining the ballpark’s playing field as a community resource. The proposal would have brought two local nonprofits, a charter […]
Cooper Stadium renovation moves forward
The transformation of Cooper Stadium is one step closer to reality after the Columbus Development Commission voted to rezone the former home of the Columbus Clippers (Class AAA; International League) from rural to commercial. The plan from Arshot Investment Corp, calls for the ballpark to be converted into an automotive research facility, complete with a […]
Atlantic City to spend $300K on Sandcastle improvements
Atlantic City will spend $300,000 from already-acquired bond money on fixes to the Sandcastle, the former home of the Atlantic City Surf, in an effort to draw concerts, youth baseball tourneys and other events to the ballpark. As documented here, the ballpark is in a serious state of repair, with water damage stemming from cracked […]
Another option emerges for Civic Stadium: strip mall!
A third redevelopment bid for Civic Stadium, the former home of the Eugene Emeralds (short season A; Northwest League), has emerged: a developer is proposing it be torn down in favor of a strip mall, anchored by a Fred Meyer store. The bid came in before the Tuesday deadline, presented to the Eugene School District. […]
Two bids submitted for Civic Stadium
Despite some early interest from developers, only two bids were submitted to the Eugene School Board for Civic Stadium, the former home of the Eugene Emeralds (short season A; Northwest League): one from a local preservation group and another from the YMCA. It’s not quite the wealth of submissions the school board was seeking: Save […]
Developer lays out plan for Chain of Lakes Park redevelopment
Chain of Lakes Park, the former spring home of the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians, would be redeveloped as a lakeside village with retail and restaurants under a plan submitted to Winter Haven officials, with work beginning in a month. The Landings, proposed by Orlando developer Tony Benge, would take the former spring-training site […]
For lease: Billy Hebert Field
Though the Stockton Ports (High Class A; California League) are long gone, the team’s long-time home, Billy Hebert Field, is still around, and the financially strapped city of Stockton will be seeking bids for the management and upkeep of the historic facility. Baseball has been played at Billy Hebert Field for more than 80 years, […]
Civic Stadium proposals due at end of the month
Proposals for the future of Civic Stadium, the former home of the Eugene Emeralds (short season A; Northwest League) and Pacific Coast League baseball, are due at the end of the month — and it’s not looking good for survival. The Eugene School Board is entertaining offers for the ballpark, and reportedly four groups are […]
Drillers Stadium to host baseball in 2011
Drillers Stadium, the former home of the Tulsa Drillers (Class AA; Texas League), will see baseball again in 2011 as a group staging high-school tournaments enters into a one-year lease. RBI Baseball will operate the ballpark as a training facility and a tournament field. The group signed a one-year lease with Expo Square for the […]
Bernie Robbins Stadium in state of disrepair
That didn’t take long: Two years after the Atlantic City Surf (independent; Can-Am League) ceased operations, Bernie Robbins Stadium is now in a serious state of disrepair, with copper stripped from walls and luxury boxes trashed. The Press of Atlantic City took a tour of the former indy-ball ballpark and found the place to be […]