Batting Around: GreenJackets on the
move
Giants' Class A affiliate on cusp of
new ballpark in North Augusta, S.C.
By
Benjamin Hill / MiLB.com
A
computer rendering of North Augusta's proposed waterfront ballpark, which would
serve as the GreenJackets' new home.
As reported in the Augusta Chronicle, the
North Augusta City Council has given final approval to the Project Jackson
Master Development Agreement (MDA). The centerpiece of this long-gestating $200
million initiative is a $40 million stadium for the Augusta GreenJackets, who
currently play on the other side of the Savannah River, in Georgia.
The GreenJackets' stadium accounts for more than half of
the estimated $72 million the city plans to spend on Project Jackson; as reported by local TV station WJBF, that figure also
includes two parking decks, a conference center and improvements to the
project's Riverfront Park location. The remaining cost of Project Jackson --
which is expected to include a hotel, apartments, office buildings, a senior
living facility, restaurants and shops -- will be funded privately.
"We've been at this, as you know, for more than four
years," GreenJackets president Jeff Eiseman told WJBF. "This is a
huge, momentous moment for the Augusta GreenJackets, and I'm thrilled."
The council's final approval, confirmed in a 6-1 vote,
came Jan. 30 following a third reading of the Project Jackson MDA. A
groundbreaking ceremony has yet to be scheduled, but the timeline calls for the
ballpark to open for the 2018 campaign.
The GreenJackets -- Class A affiliate of the San
Francisco Giants -- play in Lake Olmstead Stadium, which opened in 1995. Along
with Kannapolis' Intimidators Stadium, it is the third-oldest ballpark in the
South Atlantic League. As reported in a previous edition of this column, Kannapolis is aiming
to break ground in July on a new ballpark that would open in 2019.
Texas League intrigue
A recurring topic of conversation -- around Minor League
Baseball and in this column -- revolves around what city would replace San
Antonio in the Double-A Texas League should the city build a Triple-A stadium.
As reported previously, the city of Amarillo is one locale
that would love to host the relocated San Antonio Missions (or another
affiliated team, should one be available).
There is competition, however. On Feb. 7, EverythingLubbock.com reported that David Nelson, owner
of Lubbock, Texas-based South Paw Sports and Entertainment, was working on a
Minor League Baseball feasibility study. The following day, MyHighPlains.com provided more information on the
feasibility study, adding that a "stadium in Lubbock could be ready for
potential teams in 2020."
The third potential suitor is Wichita, Kansas, which
-- per the Wichita
Eagle -- is considering building a new
downtown stadium in the hopes it would attract an affiliated team.
"[Mayor Jeff Longwell] is involved in two
conversations with affiliated baseball," city council member Pete Meitzner
told the Eagle. "Affiliation is the
goal."
Wichita is no stranger to the Texas League. The Wichita
Wranglers played at now-83-year-old Lawrence-Dumont Stadium through the 2007
campaign before relocating to Springdale, Arkansas, in 2008 and becoming the
Northwest Arkansas Naturals.
Malden ponders
A 6,000-seat Minor League stadium could be built in
Malden, Massachusetts, as early as 2019. Alexander Bok, the developer
spearheading the project, provided an update to the Malden city council on Feb.
7.
"We are now in the process of securing [an
affiliated] team and aiming to break ground later this year," Bok said, as
reported on the website WickedLocal.com .
The stadium project, which calls for $60 million in
private funding and $20 million in state funds, still faces significant
roadblocks, including the purchase of parcels of land owned by three privately
held businesses. Additionally, any affiliated team playing in the area would
have to be approved by the Boston Red Sox, who have territorial rights.
At the council meeting, Wok said he'd provide his next
project update on April 11.
What's next for Pawtucket?
McCoy Stadium, longtime home of the Pawtucket Red Sox,
was the subject of a $105,000 feasibility study paid for jointly by the team, city
and state of Rhode Island. The study, commissioned in the wake of a failed
effort by new ownership to move the team to neighboring Providence,
concluded it would cost $68 million to renovate the facility and $78 million to
build a new stadium at the same location.
The above scenario is, in a word, unfeasible. In the wake
of the study's Jan. 26 release, the Providence
Journal reported that it was "more or
less a death knell for professional baseball at McCoy Stadium beyond 2020 --
the final year of the PawSox's current lease at McCoy."
What's next? The Journal mentioned
that the "PawSox have commenced a search for other suitable sites in
Pawtucket" and that they will prioritize "areas connected to the
downtown, visible from the highway and accessible through public transit."
The PawSox are co-owned by former Red Sox president and
CEO Larry Lucchino. Current Red Sox president Sam Kennedy also presides over
Fenway Sports Management, which is a limited partner in the PawSox ownership
group.
At a PawSox-hosted event, Kennedy stated his preference for a new PawSox stadium with
dimensions replicating those at Fenway Park. He also said the PawSox are a
"stand-alone" entity and, as such, the Red Sox would play no role in
funding a stadium.
Benjamin Hill is a reporter for
MiLB.com and writes Ben's Biz Blog.
Follow Ben on Twitter @bensbiz.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of
Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.
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