The city of Wilmington (N.C.), Mandalay Baseball Properties and the Atlanta Braves agreed on a lease for a proposed waterfront ballpark — if voters agree to fund it via property-tax hike in the November elections. That’s a big if, of course, and we’re hearing that polling in the field has the referendum going down, but […]
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Future of Knights Stadium to be studied
York County (S.C.) will spend the next year and a half discussing what will be come of Knights Stadium after the Charlotte Knights (Class AAA; International League) move to a new Uptown ballpark in 2014. A six-person committee was charged with determining the fate of the 10,000-seat ballpark and the adjoining 33 acres. What was […]
No Wilmington ballpark deal — yet
Negotiations between the city of Wilmington (N.C.) and Mandalay Baseball Properties for a new Class A Carolina League ballpark continue, with a deal expected by Sept. 18. It’s taken far longer to reach a deal than city officials anticipated, but it sounds like the delays were due more to logistics than anything else: with three […]
Second ballpark site emerges in Wilmington
Wilmington (N.C.) officials are exploring a second waterfront site for a new Class A Carolina League ballpark — one that would lower the cost to taxpayers. The city had pretty much settled on an 8.5-acre site near PPD owned by developer Chuck Schoninger, which should cost around $6 million. But the availability of an 8-acre site […]
Nasty ballpark fight emerging in Wilmington
Expect lots of outside money, as opponents and proponents of a publicly funded ballpark in Wilmington (N.C.) prepare to spend lots of money to sway voters to their side in the November elections. We’ve already seen Americans for Prosperity, the right-wing anti-government advocacy group founded by the Koch brothers, spend $20,000 on an effort to […]
New Hanover County won’t assist new Wilmington ballpark — yet
Perhaps waiting to see if there’s political support for a new downtown Wilmington (N.C.) ballpark, New Hanover County commissioners decided to wait on any financial backing for the project — for now. The hotly contested issue will be before voters this fall, as the city and Mandalay Baseball Properties are negotiating a deal to bring […]
No lease, but ballpark funding will go before Wilmington voters
It’s official: Wilmington (N.C.) voters will be asked this fall to approve $37 million in bonding for a new waterfront ballpark for an Atlanta Braves farm team, despite the lack of a lease between the parties. We had reported that Wilmington and Mandalay Baseball Properties had failed to reach agreement on a lease for a […]
Wilmington, Mandalay delay ballpark decision
Unable to reach a final accord, the city of Wilmington (N.C.) and Mandalay Baseball Properties will put off signing a memorandum of understanding on a new ballpark — but the bond issue will still be on the fall ballot. The two sides have been negotiating for weeks on the parameters of a ballpark deal. And […]
Durham to Bulls: Continue management of DAP
The Durham Bulls (Class AAA; International League) may extend their management of Durham Athletic Park, as the city seeks to work out a long-term plan for the historic facility. The future of the former home of the Bulls has been in question since Minor League Baseball walked away from a deal to manage the ballpark […]
Outline of Wilmington ballpark deal emerges: $37M, 5,500 seats
The outline of a Wilmington (N.C.) ballpark deal is emerging, as the City Council will consider a proposed $37-million, 5,500-seat facility to be built at a prized waterfront site. Though nothing is final — and neither Mandalay Baseball Properties nor the Atlanta Braves have signed off on any lease — CIty Council members have been […]
Grasshoppers close on purchase of NewBridge Park
The Greensboro Grasshoppers (Low Class A; Sally League) are now the proud owners of NewBridge Bank Park, paying $12.8 million for the ballpark. Greensboro Baseball LLC closed on a deal to buy the facility from Joseph M. Bryan Foundation of Greater Greensboro. As you’ll recall, it took years of effort and a lot of work […]
Still no final numbers for Wilmington ballpark; talks continue
Wilmington (N.C.) officials say they’re dedicated to a new-ballpark budget under $40 million, but talks between the city and Mandalay Baseball Properties continue over the parameters of a deal. The two sides are working on a proposal for a public funded new facility to be managed by Mandalay and occupied by the relocating Lynchburg Hillcats […]
Visiting Edenton’s Hicks Field
Used as a pro, spring-training and summer-collegiate ballpark, Hicks Field in Edenton, N.C., has quite the interesting history — a history that dates back to 1723, when the site was first used for sporting events as a racetrack. Funded with WPA money, the ballpark has been maintained through the years and is now home to […]