Selig to San Jose mayor: Sorry, no time to meet
MLB Commissioner Bud Selig won’t meet with San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed about a new Oakland A’s ballpark, saying that intermediaries could address Reed’s concerns. Reed made a lot of noise on April 2 about wanting to meet directly with Selig, warning that he may launch a legal effort to bring in the A’s if […]
Mayor to pitch Blue Jays on charms of Ottawa Stadium
With the prospects of pro baseball returning to Ottawa dimming daily, Mayor Jim Watson is heading to Toronto to meet with Blue Jays officials about their interest in putting a team in Canada’s capital. Watson has led an effort to bring a team to Ottawa Stadium and brokered a deal with Beacon Sports on a […]
Morgantown ballpark financing plan advances
A TIF district that would help build a new ballpark in Morgantown for the West Virginia Mountaineers and a short-season-A NY-Penn League team is close to passing the West Virginia Legislature. A bill authorizing a $96-million in TIF financing for a new shopping center and ballpark had been held up in committee, partly because of […]
Grasshoppers naming-rights deal extended
The naming-rights deal for NewBridge Bank Park, the home of the Greensboro Grasshoppers (Low Class A; Sally League), was extended by both parties for four more years. The naming-rights deal now runs through 2021. The original naming-rights deal, signed when the ballpark opened in 2007, was a ten-year agreement. “NewBridge Bank is excited to extend […]
Politician: New Huntsville ballpark unlikely
A city councilman representing the Joe Davis Stadium area says it’s unlikely a new ballpark would ever be built for the Huntsville Stars (Class AA; Southern League), as the existing facility is more than adequate. The discussion came up after Birmingham opened a sparkling-new ballpark last night; the natural in-state rivalry was a little hard […]
Hagerstown owner: We’d meet with Fredericksburg about new ballpark
With work on a new ballpark stalled, Hagerstown Suns (Low Class A; Sally League) owner Bruce Quinn says he’d be willing to talk about facilities with Fredericksburg (Va.) officials. This week Fredericksburg’s Economic Development Authority authorized a study as to the feasibility of a new minor-league ballpark in the central Virginia city, located halfway between […]
Barons to open new ballpark tonight
It will be a new era of baseball tonight in Alabama, as the Birmingham Barons (Class AA; Southern League) will open up a new downtown ballpark after a 25-year stint in the suburbs. The new ballpark, Regions Field, is the merger of two visions: one, from city officials who wanted to see pro baseball return […]
Progress made on new Richmond ballpark: McEacharn
It sounds like the city of Richmond and the Richmond Flying Squirrels (Class AA; Eastern League) are making serious progress on a new-ballpark plan, though some major decisions are still in the offing. When Lou DiBella and crew moved the team from Norwich, the assumption was that a new-ballpark plan could be worked out rather […]
Northwoods League eyes westward expansion
Northwoods League President Dick Radatz, Jr. confirms his interest in putting a team in Bismarck Municipal Ballpark after renovations are completed, as the circuit explores a westward expansion. Currently the summer-collegiate Northwoods League is centralized in Minnesota and Wisconsin, with single teams in Michigan, Iowa and Ontario. While there are expansion opportunities in the existing […]
SeaWolves, city spar over new batting tunnel
It may not sound like a big deal to fans, but something like this is increasingly important to teams and leagues: the Erie SeaWolves (Class AA; Eastern League) and the city are sparring over what league president Joe McEacharn calls “unacceptable.” The issue: when the city renovated Erie Insurance Arena, it removed the exiting batting […]
Fredericksburg to study financial feasibility of new ballpark
The city of Fredericksburg (Va.) will spend $18,000 on a ballpark feasibility study, as officials continue to explore the possibility of a $25-million baseball project. Yesterday the city’s Economic Development Authority authorized the study. If a study determines the community can support a new ballpark, the next steps will be to come up with a […]
United League returns to Alexandria
The independent United League Baseball is returning to Alexandria (La.), as the league reached a tentative agreement to place a team at Bringhurst Field for the 2013 season. Alexandria was an original ULB member, but as of late the Alexandria Aces were part of the summer-collegiate Texas Collegiate League. Last season the Aces played under […]
Mandalay Baseball Properties on the block
Mandalay Baseball Properties, a major owner of Minor League Baseball teams, is for sale, as investor Seaport Capital is selling its share of the Mandalay holding company. Manaday owns the Oklahoma City RedHawks (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Class AAA; International League) with the New York Yankees, the Erie SeaWolves (Class AA; […]