The El Paso City Council is expected to award the construction contract for a new Triple-A ballpark to Hunt Construction and local firm C.F. Jordan. A $50-million ballpark in downtown El Paso is planned for the relocating Tucson Padres (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), opening for the 2014 season. Populous has already handed the deal […]
Archive | Future Ballparks
Opposition already rising against North Augusta ballpark
City officials, developers and the Augusta GreenJackets (Low Class A; Sally League) haven’t even unveiled specifics of a proposed new ballpark in North Augusta, but that’s not stopping some local residents from speaking out against it. Normally it takes an unveiled plan for the NIMBY (Not In My BackYard) folks to make their presence known, […]
MiLB squirrelly about new Richmond ballpark
Joe McEacharn, Pat O’Conner and Chuck Domino all expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of perceived progress toward a new Richmond Flying Squirrels (Class AA; Eastern League) ballpark. The physical status of The Diamond has been an issue for years now — it was built quickly and cheaply on the old Parker Field site — and […]
New Bakersfield ballpark receives preliminary approval
A proposed new ballpark for the Bakersfield Blaze (High Class A; California League) has received preliminary approval from the local Board of Zoning Adjustment, as the project heads for a 2014 opening. The new ballpark, to be financed privately by new team ownership, will be located at the Bakersfield Commons development, at Coffee and Brimhall […]
Judge hears plea to put El Paso ballpark to vote
A U.S. District Court judge heard arguments alleging the process to move ahead with a new downtown El Paso ballpark was the result of racial prejudice, with a decision expected before the end of the month. The lawsuit, filed by former Mayor Ray Salazar, David Ochoa and Jesús Ochoa (no relation), asks Judge David Guaderrama to […]
Barons update parking plan for new ballpark
Seeking to allay concerns about parking near Regions Field, the Birmingham Barons (Class AA; Southern League) unveiled an agreement with Children’s Hospital for the use of three surface lots within a two-block radius of the new downtown ballpark. Additionally, fans will have access to street parking spaces and other public parking locations within two blocks […]
Wilmington voters overwhelmingly reject ballpark plan
At the end of the day, it wasn’t close: Wilmington (N.C.) voters overwhelmingly rejected a hike in local property taxes to pay for a new ballpark for a High Class A Carolina League team. The final margin: 70 percent against, 30 percent for. Not a surprise: polls from both sides had shown overwhelming opposition to […]
Bakersfield Blaze unveil plans for new ballpark
The new owners of the Bakersfield Blaze (High Class A; California League) announced plans for a new ballpark to replace Sam Lynn Ballpark as part of a larger development, Bakersfield Commons. The 3,500-seat ballpark would anchor the northern part of the development on a 15-acre site, which was announced two years ago but put on […]
Experts: Downtown ballpark could revitalize Richmond
As Richmond officials continue to debate the best course of action regarding a new Richmond Flying Squirrels (Class AA; Eastern League) ballpark, experts advise a downtown location for the most impact. Former Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy was on a panel discussing new ballpark at the Real Estate Trends Conference, and his advice was clear: build […]
Watch Knights ballpark construction on webcam
The Charlotte Knights (Class AAA; International League) have put up a webcam so you can monitor construction progress on BB&T Ballpark for the next 18 months. The ballpark is slated to open for the 2014 season. The webcam can be viewed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Along the way, the Knights will […]
Wilmington still negotiating ballpark site
Wilmington (N.C.) officials have settled on two waterfront sites for a potential ballpark for a High Class A Carolina League team and are negotiating with the landowners. The plan: the city would fund a $37-million ballpark project for a ballpark to be managed by Mandalay Baseball Properties and hosting a team owned by the Atlanta […]
Poll results won’t be public: Wilmington chamber
Results of polling on a new Wilmington (N.C.) ballpark for an Atlanta Braves farm team won’t be released to the public by the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce. The stated reason: the polling was done to refine a message urging voters to approve a property-tax hike ($50 annually on a house worth $200,000) to pay for […]
Remember that $15M for a new Hagerstown ballpark? Um…
It was all excitement when an anonymous donor stepped forward to pledge $15 million toward a new Hagerstown Suns (Low Class A; Sally League) ballpark, but now city officials wonder whether the donor can fulfill the pledge. Perhaps there’s been a little too much secrecy in Hagerstown City Hall about the gift, as the name […]