A group opposing public funding of a new Wilmington (N.C.) ballpark says it has enough signatures to force a referendum on the issue; meanwhile, an expected offer of free land has come through. As expected, the Cameron family has offered up to 35 acres of land along Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway to the city […]
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Wilmington ballpark sites down to three; poll indicates support
National Sports Services has narrowed down the potential number of ballpark sites in Wilmington (N.C.) to three, while a poll indicated support for public funding of the facility. The poll of 970 residents found 47 percent of respondents in favor of public funding of a new ballpark for an Atlanta Braves farm team, the relocating […]
Majority of Charlotte council members supports Knights ballpark
A majority of Charlotte City Council members now support a proposed Charlotte Knights (Class AAA; International League) ballpark plan, with a vote scheduled for June 11. Seven of the 11 council members expressed support for a new funding plan that capped the city’s contribution at $7.25 million, all coming from tourism funds. A plan to […]
Record crowd views ACC tourney game in Greensboro
History made at Greenboro’s NewBridge Bank Park: the largest crowd to see a college baseball game in North Carolina — some 10,229 fans — were on hand Saturday for the ACC tourney. It was also the largest crowd to see an Atlantic Coast Conference tourmament game. Georgia Tech won all four games in Greensboro and became […]
Mayor slams Wilmington ballpark financing proposal
Wilmington (N.C.) Mayor Bill Saffo has come out against the current financing proposal for a new ballpark, saying the proponents don’t have enough “skin in the game.” In an interview with a local conservative talk-radio host, Saffo blasted the plan: “Pardon the pun here; we’re putting all of our skin into the game and they […]
Preferred site emerging for Wilmington ballpark?
A prominent Wilmington (N.C.) family may offer a large parcel of land off Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway as the site of a new ballpark for an Atlanta Braves-owned Carolina League team. We reported on Monday this site was emerging as the leading location for the $35-million ballpark, which would be built by private developers and […]
Wilmington ballpark financing plan unveiled
A private developer would borrow money to build a new ballpark for a High Class A Carolina League team, with Wilmington (N.C.) and Mandalay Baseball Properties paying down the debt over time. The ballpark, which would be home to an Atlanta Braves farm team in the form of the relocating Lynchburg Hillcats, is projected to […]
Mandalay, Braves to update Wilmington on ballpark
We’ll know more about a proposed Wilmington (N.C.) ballpark when Mandalay Baseball Properties and the Atlanta Braves update city officials on funding and site plans. Progress on the new ballpark has been fairly swift, with National Sports Services commissioned to scout out potential ballpark sites and identify possible revenue streams. Mandalay officials say they can […]
Five potential ballpark sites under discussion in Wilmington
Five potential ballpark sites in Wilmington (N.C.) for an Atlanta Braves farm team will be presented to the public at meetings tonight and tomorrow night. The five sites include what many in the city consider to be the leader: a riverfront site near PPD, a site mentioned as the frontrunner since talk of a new […]
The race is on: NSS given marching orders in Wilmington
Wilmington (N.C.) officials today gave instructions to National Sports Services about what they expect in terms of a new-ballpark consulting report due in June. National Sports Services (NSS) will be representing the city on construction and funding of a new ballpark for the relocating Lynchburg Hillcats (High Class A; Carolina League), which will be owned […]
City OK’s Knights funding request, at lower level
Charlotte (N.C.) city officials refined a plan to help fund a new Charlotte Knights (Class AAA; International League) ballpark, adding hotel/motel taxes to mix and dropping the total to $8.5 million. The Knights originally requested $11 million coming from property-tax increases in the ballpark area; this number was later reduced to $9 million by city […]
Charlotte outlines ballpark funding plan
A Charlotte (N.C.) City Council committee will debate today a proposal to help fund a new Charlotte Knights (Class AAA; International League) Uptown ballpark, contingent on the team arranging private financing. The plan, to be discussed today by the council’s economic development committee, calls for $9 million to be paid to the team after 2015, with half […]
Wilmington bypasses Ripken Design as ballpark manager; NSS is hired
Avoiding a potential conflict between Ripken Design and Mandalay Baseball Properties, the Wilmington (N.C.) City Council went with a second choice as ballpark project manager. Initially city officials had chosen Ripken Design, part of Ripken Baseball, as the city’s project manager on a proposed waterfront ballpark in downtown Wilmington to be managed by Mandalay and inhabited […]