It sounds like Hardball Capital, the firm bringing Minor League Baseball to Columbia (S.C.), has received a strong reaction to its name-the-team contest, which ends Wednesday. (more…)
Tag Archives | jason freier
Populous lands Columbia ballpark design contract
A new ballpark in Columbia (S.C.) for a team owned by Hardball Capital’s Jason Freier will be designed by Populous. There is a history between Freier and Populous: the Kansas City-based firm designed award-winning Parkview Field, home of the Fort Wayne TinCaps (Low Class A; Midwest League), another team owned by Freier. (Disclosure: Populous is […]
Savannah asking citizens to weigh in on new Sand Gnats ballpark
Savannah residents are being asked to weigh in on a new Savannah Sand Gnats (Low Class A; Sally League) ballpark, as city officials want to determine public sentiment toward the project. The poll is part of a $55,000 ballpark feasibility study performed by CH Johnson Consulting. Sand Gnats owner Jason Freier of Hardball Capital has […]
Changes on tap in Chattanooga?
Atlanta businessman John Woods has signed a letter of intent to buy the Chattanooga Lookouts (Class AA; Southern League), with Hardball Capital‘s Jason Freier acting as a consultant to the deal. The Lookouts are owned by Frank Burke, Charles Eshbach and the estate of the late Dan Burke. It’s not clear whether the sale of the […]
Columbia approves new-ballpark project
As expected, the Columbia (S.C.) City Council approved a development deal for a new Bull Street ballpark, with the team to be supplied by Hardball Capital’s Jason Freier. Freier, who owns the Savannah Sand Gnats (Low Class A; Sally League) and the Fort Wayne TinCaps (Low Class A; Midwest League), is obliged to supply a […]
Columbia approves new ballpark
It went down exactly as Mayor Steve Benjamin promised: the Columbia (S.C.) City Council voted to move forward with a funding plan for a new ballpark on a 4-3 vote. The deal with Hardball Capital’s Jason Freier commits the city to borrowing $29 million for the ballpark construction and infrastructure costs. Hardball Capital will pay […]
Price of new Columbia ballpark project goes up $2M; vote due tonight
Despite the total of city borrowing for a new Columbia (S.C.) ballpark going up by $2 million, the City Council is expected to approve a $31 million borrowing plan tonight. The original price of the ballpark and associated work was $29 million, but that figure was bumped with the addition of a mile-long pedestrian pathway […]
Columbia mayor: We have votes to fund new ballpark
Columbia (S.C.) Mayor Steve Benjamin says the votes are there to pass a new-ballpark funding plan, with final approval expected at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. Veteran MiLB owner and operator Jason Freier has been working with Columbia on the ballpark plan, which calls for $29 million in bonding from the city and a new ballpark […]
New Columbia ballpark receives initial city approval
A new Columbia (S.C.) ballpark won initial approval from the City Council on first reading on a 4-3 margin, with a final vote scheduled for March 18. That the vote was close was not a surpise; opposition to the project had been gaining some momentum in recent day. The financing plan: Hardball Capital, led by […]
Columbia ballpark proposal up for vote today
A proposal for a new Columbia (S.C.) ballpark for a team owned by Hardball Capital’s Jason Freier is up for a vote today by the City Council, as the veteran MiLB operator ups his financial commitment to the project. What’s new: Hardball Capital would pay the city up to $516,000 annually if the proposed Bull […]
Freier: We’re still pursuing new Savannah ballpark
Despite all the talk recently about Jason Freier’s pursuit of a new Columbia (S.C.) ballpark, he’s still working on a plan for a new Savannah Sand Gnats (Low Class A; Sally League) facility. The assumption by many — including Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin — is that the Sand Gnats would be ending up in South […]
Columbia lease negotiations underway; opposition arises
The city of Columbia (S.C.) is negotiating a lease for a new ballpark with Hardball Capital’s Jason Freier, with an opposition group arguing against any public spending on a facility. The lease, which could be ready for City Council approval in two weeks, will cover all aspects of ballpark operations, including non-game events year-round. The […]
Freier: I may acquire new team for Columbia
We hinted at this, but now veteran MiLB operator Jason Freier has made it explicit: acquiring another team is very likely if a new Columbia ballpark is built, rather than moving the Savannah Sand Gnats (Low Class A; Sally League) to the city. Besides negotiating for a new Columbia ballpark, Freier has also been talking […]