A total of $500 million would be spent on Wrigley Field improvements if public funding comes through: $300M for the ballpark itself, $200M for a new triangle building next door. Crain’s Chicago Business is reporting some of the details of the plan. Public funding isn’t part of the so-called triangle building next door to Wrigley, […]
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Lee County to seek state ballpark-improvement grant
Already aiming to fund improvements at Hammond Stadium, the spring home of the Minnesota Twins, Lee County is seeking state assistance as it also works to free up money for the Washington Nationals. in discussions of the future of spring training in Fort Myers, Lee County commissioners have steadfastly held that any additional tourism-tax revenues not […]
Mother Nature delays Mets’ green initiative
A day late after the New York Mets’ Earth Day game was rained out, the team is launching a new series of green initiatives with Citi Field partners. Much of this isn’t glamorous stuff, though it should be noticed by fans, such as Action Carting Environmental Services recycling receptacles located throughout Citi Field, helping the Mets achieve […]
Wrigleyville bomber sentenced
A would-be terrorist targeting fans at a Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley Field with a bomb placed in a trash can has pleaded guilty to charges and will be spending at least 20 years in prison. Sami Samir Hassoun, 24, pleaded guilty in federal court “to attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and trying […]
Lost in the shuffle: Tiger Stadium and Crosley Field
As it ends up, 1912 was a pretty good year for Major League Ballparks: Besides Fenway Park, fans also were treated to two other new diamond palaces: Crosley Field and Tiger Stadium. Crosley Field, shown above, was actually the first of the three to open; on April 11, 1912, the Reds defeated the Chicago Cubs, 10-6, […]
AEG negotiating management of Oakland Coliseum complex
The Coliseum Joint Powers Authority is negotiating with AEG to take over management of the Coliseum complex from SMG, a deal that impacts the Oakland Athletics. Los Angeles-based AEG was chosen by a narrow margin on Friday after the authority put management of the complex out to bid; AEG won over current management firm SMG and […]
Fenway Park at 100: The essence of baseball
Today’s Red Sox/Yankees game marks the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park — the first Major League Baseball facility to reach the century mark and an enduring part of the American Experience. Nostalgia is a powerful force in our society these days; everything, it seems, is an echo of the past in some manner. Whether it […]
MLB teams plan Earth Day activities
No matter the team colors, many Major League Baseball teams and ballparks are going green this weekend to mark Earth Day. Many teams have already instituted green programs in their ballparks — Target Field is a LEED-certified building, the Giants and Royals installed solar panels at their homes, the Nationals have an elaborate cistern system […]
Turner Field / Atlanta Braves
It’s not considered a prime example of the retro ballpark at work, but the Atlanta Braves have worked hard over the last 15 years to transform Turner Field from a bland, corporate ballpark to a place where team and regional baseball history are celebrated, and where fans can have a good time watching a game. […]
O’Malleys may make run at Padres
Not a bad consolation prize: Peter O’Malley says he and his family are considering making a bid for the San Diego Padres, put back on the market by John Moores. The O’Malley family has deep roots in baseball: Walter O’Malley moved the Brooklyn Dodgers to Los Angeles and built Dodger Stadium; Peter O’Malley ran the […]
America’s most famous tax cheat at the ballpark
On Tax Day, it’s appropriate to remember America’s most notorious tax cheat, Al Capone, was a baseball fan at heart; here he is with Cubs catcher Gabby Hartnett during a White Sox/Cubs game at Comiskey Park. The game was a September 9, 1931 exhibition fundraiser long before the start of interleague play. Capone, far right, was there […]
A’s expected to push for ballpark decision at owner’s meetings
The Oakland Athletics are expected to file the paperwork needed to put a decision on a San Jose move on the agenda for the upcoming owner’s meetings, but it’s not clear whether the request will be granted. The process is simple: a team files paperwork with the commissioner’s office, then the commissioner decides whether to […]
Emanuel plan for Wrigley renovation: set aside landmark status
The Rahm Emanuel plan for Wrigley Field renovations calls for the historic ballpark’s landmark status to be relaxed, allowing the Chicago Cubs to erect massive scoreboards and other signage in the Friendly Confines. The plan from the Chicago mayor and the Cubs ownership also calls for streets around the ballpark to be closed on popular […]