Talk of selling AutoZone Park to the city of Memphis was premature, as the Memphis Redbirds Baseball Foundation is exploring several liquidation options, according to treasurer John Pontius. Two weeks ago the news broke that the city was reviewing a proposal to buy the home of the Memphis Redbirds (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League). Pontuis […]
Tag Archives | class aaa
Nats extend affiliations with four farm teams
The Washington Nationals extended their affiliations with four minor-league clubs: the Syracuse Chiefs (Class AAA; International League), Harrisburg Senators (Class AA; Eastern League), Potomac Nationals (High Class A; Carolina League) and Auburn Doubledays (short season A; NY-Penn League). Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo, Nationals Assistant General Manager and […]
Escondido revives ballpark plan for one last pitch
Escondido officials are working to revive a $50-million plan for a new ballpark for the relocating Tucson Padres (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) by wooing foreign investors. The North County Times is reporting the move, which was also recently tried unsuccessfully by Oakland officials to attract capital for a downtown Oakland A’s ballpark. It calls […]
Economics of new Charlotte ballpark questioned
Though an economist spoke favorably of an uptown Charlotte Knights (Class AAA; International League) ballpark, it didn’t take long for other economists to question his findings. UNC-Charlotte professor John Connaughton told the Charlotte City Council last week that a new uptown ballpark would create 490 jobs annually (along with a couple-hundred construction jobs) and bring […]
Memphis looking at buying AutoZone Park
The city of Memphis is reviewing a pitch to buy AutoZone Park, home of the Memphis Redbirds (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), from the nonprofit foundation that owns it. The Memphis Commercial Appeal is reporting that the city’s Housing and Community Development department has a proposal to buy the ballpark from the Memphis Redbirds Baseball […]
Could SWB ballpark shift to downtown Scranton?
More swirls of intrigue regarding the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (Class AAA; International League), as Lackawanna County officials unconvincingly shoot down rumors that PNC Field would be replaced by a downtown Scranton ballpark. Why do we say unconvincingly? Because the rationale is blatantly false: they say $40 million isn’t enough money to build a downtown ballpark. Which […]
SWB Yankees adopt Empire State moniker for 2012
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (Class AAA; International League) will play under the Empire State Yankees name for the upcoming season, causing a ruckus among Lackawanna County officials. The team will play its entire schedule on road while PNC Field is renovated for the 2013 season, including 37 of their home games at Rochester’s Frontier Field, seven […]
Indy’s Bush Stadium begins conversion to apartments
Indianapolis’s Bush Stadium is on the way to becoming home to apartments and commercial space, with construction underway. The redevelopment includes plans to turn the stadium into the 131-unit Stadium Lofts apartment complex with the shell and the historic façade of the stadium maintained in its original form. A new 132-unit apartment complex, Stadium Flats, […]
Lack of development at Gwinnett ballpark draws criticism
Economic development around Coolray Field, home of the Gwinnett Braves (Class AAA; International League), has failed to materialize, and the latest proposal has locals up in arms. One of the rationales for Gwinnett County to fund the $64-million ballpark was the potential of attracting additional development. And, indeed, there was a proposed development on the […]
Knights make economic case for city funding of new ballpark
Armed with a study that predicted a tangible economic impact from a new Charlotte Knights (Class AAA; International League) ballpark, the City Council invited team management to pitch for city funding. The Knights are looking at a $55-million ballpark in uptown Charlotte. Mecklenburg County has already pledged land and $8 million, with some conditions — […]
Sale still pending for SWB Yankees; could team depart?
Lackawanna County is still negotiating the sale of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (Class AAA; International League) — but could the team be on the move? That things are taking so long is a little surprising. First, we already know what the sales price will be: $14.6 million, per an earlier agreement. We know the team will […]
Big Ten tourney up for grabs
The Big Ten baseball tournament is up after this year’s tourney in Columbus, with several ballpark operators already submitting bids — including two in Omaha. The tournament is held in late May, with the winner awarded an automatic NCAA tourney bid. Since moving to a neutral site the tournament has been held in Columbus, with […]
Cubs: We’ll drop Boise affiliation without new ballpark
As Boise discusses a new downtown ballpark, the Chicago Cubs became a player in the ballpark debate by proclaiming the team would walk away from Idaho if a new facility isn’t in the works by September. During a public forum last week Bill Buckner, a resident of Boise now working for the Cubs, said his […]