Local grocer Rick Wright is offering to lease Civic Stadium for three years to give the local Y and the Save Civic Stadium activists a chance to put together a plan to save the historic WPA-era facility and the former home to the Eugene Emeralds (short season; Northwest League). Wright owns Market of Choice, a […]
Archive | Endangered Ballparks
Future of City of Palms Park still under debate
Though many in Fort Myers would like to see another MLB team train at City of Palms Park, that’s not happening any time soon, and Lee County is struggling to find a future use for the ballpark — with an outdoor pool again at the top of the list. It’s no secret Fort Myers and […]
Are final days near for RFK Stadium?
RFK Stadium is falling down, but what happens next to the former home of the Washington Senators and the Washington Nationals is anyone’s guess, as it will take lots of money to fix it up when there’s no obvious financial payout or an Act of Congress — literally — to tear it down. RFK Stadium […]
Faithful descend for piece of Ray Winder Field
Another piece of history went off into the sunset this weekend, as 500 seats from Ray Winder Field, the former home of the Arkansas Travelers (Class AA; Texas League), were given away to baseball fans waiting overnight in line. Fans arrived on Friday night for the Saturday morning giveaway of the old-fashioned metal-and-iron folding chairs, […]
Mapping the future of Olympic Stadium
Tired of subsidizing Olympic Stadium to the tune of $19 million a year, the provincial panel overseeing it has appointed a citizens committee to map the future of the former Montreal Expos home, but tearing it down isn’t an option — yet. The committee is headed by Lise Bissonnette, regarded as somewhat of a rising […]
Eugene: We’re not spending money on Civic Stadium
The Eugene City Council rejected a proposal to spend $200,000 on Civic Stadium, saying tight budgets and the lack of a solid financial plan to save the historic facility make an investment imprudent at this time. The preservationist group Save Civic Stadium, with the support of two councilors, had hoped to secure two $100,000 payments […]
City: Give us your ideas for Ottawa Stadium site
In another sign that Ottawa isn’t too serious about keeping Ottawa Stadium open, the city is scheduling work sessions for the public to submit ideas for what should be build on the ballpark site in the future — with the assumption the ballpark is going away after this season. The ballpark, the longtime home of […]
Developer: We’ll move Civic Stadium if that’s what it takes
The developers seeking to put a strip mall and Fred Meyer store at Eugene’s Civic Stadium site say they will pay to move part of the historic WPA-era structure to another site in the city if that’s what it takes to win approval for the development. Steve Master and Peter Powell offered a bid for […]
Eugene residents: Save Civic Stadium
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 […]
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 […]