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Coastal Plains League has added the Boone Bigfoots to their league. They play at the Appalachian State baseball stadium. Hopefully Greenville and ECU will follow suit and allow a CPL team at CLS until the city builds a new facility downtown for summer/independent/minor league baseball.
In other (possibly related to) Carolina baseball news:
The Texas Rangers-owned REV Entertainment is partnering with the city of Shreveport, LA to redevelop the Shreveport fairgrounds, including building a new baseball facility. The Rangers are trying to keep their name out of the forefront of this news, but REV is owned by them and promotes events only at the current and former Rangers stadiums. The scuttlebutt is that the Rangers are planning to allow an independent league team play in the new Shreveport facility, but they're hedging their bets that the minor league system will get yet another overhaul and contraction in the coming years, probably the elimination of Low A. With the Rangers having quality facilities for their AAA and AA teams already in place (Round Rock, TX and Frisco, TX respectively), the Rangers just might be reserving Shreveport for the possibility that the deep south (or part of it) could be converted to A league. Or they could be angling to convert Frisco to be their AAA team because it is located within the Dallas metro and use Shreveport as their AA team. At worst they'll own an independent ball facility in Shreveport that they can either keep or sell.
How it could affect baseball in the Carolinas: The Texas Rangers own their High A and Low A affiliates in North Carolina - the Hickory Crawdads and Kinston's Down East Wood Ducks. If there is another contraction of minor league teams as apparently the Rangers and others believe, then surely Kinston, Zebulon, and Lynchburg will be amongst the thirty teams that get cut out of the affiliated system. Keep in mind, MLB now has to dedicate so much more of their funds than ever towards their minor league players, due to the outcome of lawsuits, providing housing, better pay and benefits, plus the minor leaguers being allowed into the players' union. Minor league costs for MLB teams are about to skyrocket, so the MLB will likely be pushing for a singular A league, rather than two. The players union will put up a showy fight, but eventually go along with contraction in exchange for some things they've been wanting.
All of us proponents of Greenville building a new professional baseball facility can look at the future of minor league baseball in two different ways. 1 ~ Wait a few years to see how the sport redefines itself before committing dollars to it. Or 2. Build a quality facility that appealing to at least a summer league or independent team (You never know, the Savannah Bananas might go from being a traveling baseball sideshow to having a league of teams playing Banana Ball.), but keep the stadium area expandable in case the city can land an affiliated team.
My vote is still for a new baseball facility in or near downtown (between the new bus station and the railroad tracks perhaps) to at least have a summer or independent team, plus feature games like travel ball or local high school invitationals, in addition to concerts and small festivals. Maybe affiliated baseball never comes our way, but some kind of professional baseball would do well in Greenville. It's certainly a sports lovers' town.
I'm cool with the baseball talk here. Unless there are actual announcements for a Greenville stadium
and/or team.
I doubt Kinston will make it. They're once again towards the bottom of all of MiLB teams in terms of attendance. If the reports are true, I could see more of these smaller markets being done away with.
I think Greenville needs to build something expandable and multipurpose. My 1st choice would be the 6 blocks at the NW corner of 14th Street and Evans, directly south of the Millennial Campus. That area is going to change rapidly once the Millennial Campus is finished. And if they don't plan something now, the 6-10 blocks will be bought up and developed into something different.
I don't think the Atlantic area west of the bus station would be enough room for an expanding stadium.
The next best option, IMO would be developing a tract of land directly off the NC 11 bypass on the Alt 264/US13 intersection. In that area, it would have a large indoor sports facility, several outdoor fields and a "championship" stadium to house a baseball team. Similar to what the city of Florence, SC did for their CPL team.
This would open up a new area of development and a mixed use shopping center could be built near the facility with apartments, shops, restaurants, and even a hotel or two for the travel tournaments that could be held at the facility.
The next best option, IMO would be developing a tract of land directly off the NC 11 bypass on the Alt 264/US13 intersection. In that area, it would have a large indoor sports facility, several outdoor fields and a "championship" stadium to house a baseball team. Similar to what the city of Florence, SC did for their CPL team.
This would open up a new area of development and a mixed use shopping center could be built near the facility with apartments, shops, restaurants, and even a hotel or two for the travel tournaments that could be held at the facility.
I remember when we used to discuss the possibility of a youth sports complex, I suggested a location down the road from where you're suggesting. I was thinking the land across the road from the auto auction, not too far from the Allen/Dickinson/Greenville Blvd. intersection. That land goes back a little ways. The only issue I can see with either of these spots is that maybe hotels wouldn't find these places as appealing compared to being in a more business-centric area. So maybe a consideration could be the land along 264W and B's BBQ Rd, with hotels and restaurants up front, adjacent to Candlewood Suites, and then the complex towards the back on the large tract of open land long B's and McGregor Downs. I'd still prefer that a pro stadium to be placed in or near downtown though.
I think your location would be good too. Greenville has enough land in and near major highways to build whatever sports facility is needed.
I'm worried that the city won't act fast enough and will be left with no way to build a downtown stadium
I found a good example of the type of facility I'm talking about in Missouri. A 20 acre facility that features youth sports fields, office space, apartments, hotel space, shops and restaurants all in one place. I think something like that could work in Greenville and expand the shopping areas in the city.
If you're going to couple a huge sports facility and shopping center, I think hotels would be interested in locating there. Plus you'd be close enough to the hospital to get the hospital clientele, if needed.
I think your location would be good too. Greenville has enough land in and near major highways to build whatever sports facility is needed.
I'm worried that the city won't act fast enough and will be left with no way to build a downtown stadium
I found a good example of the type of facility I'm talking about in Missouri. A 20 acre facility that features youth sports fields, office space, apartments, hotel space, shops and restaurants all in one place. I think something like that could work in Greenville and expand the shopping areas in the city.
If you're going to couple a huge sports facility and shopping center, I think hotels would be interested in locating there. Plus you'd be close enough to the hospital to get the hospital clientele, if needed.
They could tear down the mall and put it there...haha...(half-kidding, half-not).
The mall site wouldn't be bad actually. Maybe not a full teardown, but you could definitely turn it into more of an open air mall with the stadium on the back side of the mall. The Greenville Mall is in a pretty central location in Greenville and it already had a good amount of parking.
I too would advocate for a CPL appropriate stadium that could be expanded if ever needed. Even if a MILB team were to never come to fruition I think Greenville is built to support a CPL team indefinitely with its baseball community and fervor for ECU baseball. The CPL is developing into the preeminent college summer league under the direction of CBC.
As mentioned I hope the city will be intentional and proactive in carving out a space for this in/near UpTown. Sure there are suitable, maybe even good locations elsewhere but Uptown is THE location.
Speaking of CPL teams... I see where the city of Wilson recently purchased the old Wilson Mall and has plans to demolish and redevelop for civic purposes. I wonder if they would consider a building a new ballpark for the Tobs as part of a mixed use facility??
In the last few months, Hagerstown, MD has torn down their old Municipal Stadium and very recently broke ground for a brand new multi-sport (baseball, soccer, maybe lacrosse?) facility at a different downtown location. This facility will also have an event space for weddings and such (I assume an indoor space, not just on the playing field.). The Atlantic League has already admitted a team to their league when the stadium is completed. Best part is that Hagerstown didn't have to pay anything up front. The Maryland Stadium Authority (same entity that owns Camden Yards) is completely responsible for all initial costs, not the city. Good deal for Hagerstown, as they're only responsible for operations costs, along with the county.
I like event space idea - can be used year round, can have the field as a background as your event, plus photo opps all around the entire facility. This is the very kind of facility a town should be planning for, whether it'd be Greenville, Wilmington, Wilson, or wherever...
This link is a little dated, but accurate. I had a hard time find both information and renderings all in one place. This is the best I could find. Sorry for the small font. If you want to see more, you'll have to Google and look at multiple sites. If you find a better link with everything on one page, please share...
I have to believe this is a relocation spot for the Wood Ducks.
Another article indicated that the stadium would seat 4,000 and have 1,750 parking spaces. Break ground by spring 2024, be ready for a March 2026 opening day. Project would include Hotels and Restaurants. It should be noted that there is also separate talk of building a soccer specific stadium to revive the Hammerheads with a USL League One team. That project does not have a site but was stated to include a 4,500 seat stadium, high density housing, retail, a food hall, beer garden, etc...
Last edited by HP91; 02-02-2023 at 02:46 PM..
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