After almost losing the Yakima Bears (short season A; Northwest League) to the Portland area, Yakima County officials say they’re willing to discuss paying for upgrades to Yakima County Stadium. The Bears had entered into discussions with Clark County in suburban Portland before commissioners there failed to pass an amusement tax to partially pay for […]
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Plan B for Bears: Work on Yakima ballpark plan
With the defeat of a new-ballpark in Clark County yesterday, the Yakima Bears (short season; Northwest League) ownership say they will work on a ballpark solution in Yakima. Yesterday the Clark County Board of Commissioners voted down a 5 percent admissions tax that would have partially funded a new ballpark for the Bears in suburban […]
Admissions tax voted down in Clark County; no new ballpark for now
A 5 percent admissions tax to partially fund a new ballpark for the relocating Yakima Bears (short season A; Northwest League) was voted down today by Clark County Commissioners on a 2-1 vote. Passage of the tax on admissions to entertainment and sports venues was never assured, with one solid vote for and one solid […]
Clark County ballpark vote slated for today
A vote on a proposed 5 percent admissions tax to help fund a new ballpark for the Yakima Bears (short season A; Northwest League) is expected today — but no one is predicting the outcome. The proposal calls for a 5 percent tax on entertainment (movies, county fair, golf courses, concerts, etc.) admission fees in […]
Hearing on new Clark County ballpark set for end of November
Clark County Commissioners will once again discuss the issue of a 5 percent amusement tax to fund a new Vancouver (Wash.) ballpark for the relocating Yakima Bears (short season A; Northwest League). The hearing is set for Nov. 29. There’s a race of sorts for a Minor League Baseball team to set up operations in […]
Milwaukie seeks public input on new ballpark
Milwaukie (Ore.) city officials have scheduled a series of hearings on a proposed minor-league ballpark in the Portland suburb for a short-season-A Northwest League ballpark. With a proposed ballpark for the Yakima Bears (short-season A; Northwest League) in Vancouver, Wash. seemingly stalled because of disagreements over funding, Milwaukie officials are rushing into the breach with […]
Milwaukie moves ahead with ballpark-feasibility study
Seeing an opportunity to bring a Northwest League team to suburban Portland, Milwaukie officials have commissioned a feasibility study to determine whether to move forward with a new ballpark. The city is paying $84,500 to three firms — Innovative Campaign Strategies, 360 Architecture and Capital Project Consultants — to determine community support for a ballpark, […]
Clark County postpones ballpark hearing
The Clark County Board of Commissions is postponing a final decision on a funding plan for a new short-season Northwest League ballpark, giving the Yakima Bears more time to alter their proposal — but the clock is ticking. The Bears have until Sept. 23 to finalize a ballpark plan within the team’s exclusive negotiating agreement […]
County scales back commitment to Portland-area ballpark
A 2012 opening for a new Clark College ballpark for the relocating Yakima Bears (short season A; Northwest League) is in serious doubt after Clark County officials scaled back their financial commitment to the plan. At a work session last week, the county commissioners walked away from a funding plan where the Bears would pay […]
Competing ballpark plans in Portland
We have a second ballpark plan emerging in suburban Portland, as Milwaukie (Ore.) officials are working with a former PGE Park vice president on a 4,000-seat ballpark for a short-season A Northwest League team. The plan from Milwaukie calls for 4,000-seat, $20-$30 million ballpark to be built on the Portland-Milwaukie light-rail corridor at a a […]
New Portland-area ballpark could provide economic bump: study
A new ballpark in Clark County for the relocating Yakima Bears (short season A; Northwest League) could generate $206.5 million over a 20-year lease, according to a study commissioned by the Columbia River Economic Development Council. The study indicates the Bears would generate $4.6 million annually from the Bears via ballgames and other events, $4 […]
Volcanoes benefiting from Bevos departure
Baseball fans in Portland, Oregon without a local fix have turned to a local short-season team, the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (short season A; Northwest League), for their diamond fix: attendance at Volcanoes Stadium is up some 27 percent this season. “I know we’re seeing a lot more Portland area people this year because I’ve been talking […]
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 […]