The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority approved a four-year lease extension for Cashman Field, as the board was unwilling to tie up the home of the Las Vegas 51s (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) in a long-term deal. Stars Las Vegas LLC (the current owner of the 51s) and Summerlin Las Vegas Baseball Club […]
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Arizona Fall League launches today
If you’re in the Phoenix area, this is the third part of the baseball season for fans, as the Arizona Fall League — featuring MLB’s elite prospects — opens its 20th anniversary season today. The slate today: Scottsdale Scorpions at Phoenix Desert Dogs (12:35 p.m.), Surprise Saguaros at Peoria Javelinas (12:35 p.m.) and Mesa Solar […]
El Paso ballpark foes file suit in federal court to shut down project
Opponents of a new downtown El Paso ballpark for a Class AAA franchise have filed suit in U.S. District Court and invoked the Voting Rights Act, saying the siting of the facility was racially motivated. We’re not so sure we see the logic of the lawsuit, but it makes some serious allegation against City Manager […]
Canal Park lease extension approved for new Aeros owner
Approvals are in place for Ken Babby to buy the Akron Aeros (Class AA; Eastern League), and the city has agreed to a new Canal Park lease that will keep the team in town through 2037. The new lease doesn’t call for the city to put more money into the ballpark, said Mayor Don Plusquellic; rather, […]
SWB Yankees invite fans out to sign ballpark beam
Nice offseason promo by the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (Class AAA; International League): fans are being asked out to the PNC Field construction site to sign a beam to be placed in the ballpark. Fans will see the signatures once it’s put in place in the outfield picnic area. From the Times-Tribune: “This will be the first […]
Attempt to refinance Tulsa ballpark debt thwarted by foes
An attempt to refinances ONEOK Field debt has been blocked by opponents of the downtown assessment district paying down debt on the home of the Tulsa Drillers (Class AA; Texas League). It is a unique situation, one that requires a little backstory. When it came time to pay for ONEOK Field, city officials set up […]
Chiefs introduce subtlest logo change in MiLB history
The Peoria Chiefs (Low Class A; Midwest League) unveiled a new logo to coincide with the team’s signing of a new affiliation with the St. Louis Cardinals — with the subtlest change we’ve ever seen. There is only a single change between the old logo (at right) and the new logo, shown above. If you […]
Akron to look at ballpark upgrades to keep Aeros in town
Akron officials are looking at upgrades to Canal Park to keep the Akron Aeros (Class AA; Eastern League) in town after the team’s lease expires in five years. The upcoming sale of the team apparently has unsettled officials; though the team was not a candidate to move to Ottawa in 2014, there was enough ill-informed […]
Babby emerging as Aeros buyer
It’s been an open secret in baseball and broker circles the last two years that the Akron Aeros (Class AA; Eastern League) have been on the market, and it looks like the team finally has a buyer: Ken Babby. The Akron Beacon Journal is reporting that Babby, the former general manager of digital media for the […]
PNC Field renovation continues, but court battle for Yanks looms
The renovation of PNC Field, home of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (Class AAA; International League), continues, even as the two counties that formerly owned the team prepare for a court battle over sale proceeds. The framing on the new second deck is done, and concrete is being poured. The construction team is racing the calendar to […]
Neighbors get first look at new Potomac ballpark
A community meeting designed to introduce a proposed Potomac Nationals (High Class A; Carolina League) ballpark to Woodbridge residents yielded about what you’d expect: comments about traffic and fireworks. The Nationals are proposing a new ballpark at Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center, an existing retail development, which is close to the high-end Potomac Club, Between 25 and […]
MountainStar Sports buys Tucson Padres
MountainStar Sports Group, which has a deal to bring affiliated baseball to a new downtown El Paso ballpark, says it has signed a Franchise Purchase Agreement for the Tucson Padres (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League). It’s been a hectic few weeks for the four investors comprising MountainStar: the El Paso City Council narrowly passed a downtown-ballpark […]
Concerns raised over Hillsboro ballpark financing — but are they warranted?
More concerns are arising over Hillsboro’s decision to possibly back funding of a new ballpark with general funds, but given the size of the Oregon city, we’re not so sure the concern is warranted. Usually cities back bonds with dedicated revenue streams, like property taxes, sales-tax revenues or rental-car-tax proceeds. The advantage: bonds backed by […]