McCourts reach tentative divorce agreement, allowing Frank to keep Dodgers — maybe
Frank and Jamie McCourt reached a tentative divorce agreement that would potentially allow Frank to retain control of the Los Angeles Dodgers, but with one huge condition: in order to fund a settlement, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig must approve a controversial long-term sale of TV broadcast rights to Fox Sports. The settlement, announced this morning, […]
Winston-Salem to host 2012 Cal-Carolina All-Star Game
Should be a great time in a great ballpark: BB&T Ballpark and the Winston-Salem Dash will host the 2012 California-Carolina League All-Star Game on June 19, 2012 as the two High Class A leagues will face off in the 16th edition of the game. Next year’s contest will mark the first time Winston-Salem has […]
Bush Stadium could anchor new Indy tech/housing development
In one of the more interesting ballpark-redevelopment efforts to come down the pike in recent years, Indianapolis officials are proposing a renovation of Bush Stadium, the former home of the Indianapolis Indians (Class AAA; International League), into apartments as an attraction for new bioscience firms in the neighborhood. We alluded to the proposal last weekend, […]
Boulders open new ballpark with sellout
Nice start for the Rockland Boulders (independent; Can-Am League): despite controversy and lawsuits surrounding the team’s new home, Provident Bank Park opened last night with a sellout crowd, a Boulders win and lots of happy fans. It sounds like a typical opening for the ballpark: almost everything was completed in time for the season opener, […]
Rosenblatt Stadium memorabilia going to auction
One of the most storied ballparks in baseball is coming down, but you can own a piece of Omaha’s Rosenblatt Stadium, the former home of the College World Series and the Omaha Royals (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), as the Omaha Zoo Foundation is launching an auction to sell Rosenblatt Stadium memorabilia. The live auction, […]
This weekend: the 50th Florida State League All‐Star Game
Nice milestone coming up for the Florida State League: The Clearwater Threshers are hosting the circuit’s 50th All-Star Game at Bright House Field, with the actual game Saturday night, preceded by a reception and a home-run derby. The weekend kicks off Friday night with a Sunset Reception held at the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach and […]
Lehv leaves Saints for…Saints
The St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association) are losing assistant GM Dan Lehv to the Dubuque (Iowa) Fighting Saints, a USHL team with ties to the NHL champions Boston Bruins. Lehv is the new president of the Fighting Saints, which just completed its first season in the junior-level USHL on a successful note, winning the […]
We moved!
Sorry about the scaled-back coverage lately on Ballpark Digest, but there’s been some big changes here: World Headquarters is now located in Madison, Wis., with the move taking place this week. Anyone who has moved a large household knows the hassle involved. Add to that the complications of moving a business as well, and you […]
New plan for old Bush Stadium: apartments
Still in a state of disrepair, Indianapolis’s Bush Stadium has been the subject of many redevelopment plans over the years, most of which would preserve the grandstand — but the latest plan would certainly be a most unique take on ballpark preservation. The plan, which will be officially announced this week, calls for 100 loft-style […]
Gammons rips Wrigley Field, defends Ricketts
Usually Peter Gammons is the smartest guy in the room when it comes to baseball, but comments he made about Wrigley Field being a “dump” and Cubs owner Tom Ricketts not knowing the true renovation price of the ballpark are ridiculous — and are generating lots of heat in the Windy City. Gammons, now an […]
Clark County reverses course; will exclusively negotiate with Bears
Upon further review, the three-person Clark County (Wash.) Board of Commissioners will exclusively negotiate the terms of a new ballpark with the Yakima Bears (short season; Northwest League) ownership, Short Season LLC. The decision was split — two commissioners for, one commissioner against — and it’s pretty clear the commissioner against, Tom Mielke, will be […]
Voters to decide Augusta ballpark fate
Voters will decide whether to move ahead on a new Augusta GreenJackets (Low Class A; Sally League) ballpark, as the issue will be on the 2012 general-election ballot. The proposal is for a $38.7-million downtown ballpark/entertainment/retail complex on 12 acres of vacant land. It’s not set yet exactly what will be asked of voters. There […]
Escondido moving forward with business park on proposed ballpark property
The prospects for a proposed new ballpark in Escondido for the Tucson Padres (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) are growing dimmer by the day, as the city is moving forward with planning of a clean-tech-oriented business park on the ballpark site. At the end of the day, having a clean-tech business hub on the 27 […]