Sprindale Minor League Sports Complex and Minor League Baseball Stadium

[CellarDoor135]

There are a lot of people immediately north of the Washington County line who've got to be watching with smiles and anticipation next week...

Regardless of the problems in Springdale, I would love to see them get this. Going to Ray Winder as a child was a wonderful memory. This is an actual league, not some ABA or NIFL or some made up league destined to crash after the 2nd or 3rd season. And it is finally located centrally in NWA. As much as I hate to see the public pay for something like this, if I lived in Springdale, I'd vote for it.

[KJW]

That would realy displease me if springdale didnt get the stadium, springdale has nothing, and this could help out the city alot, and besides, who wants to watch a game and not be able to enjoy a nice cold adult beverage, i know that if it was built in a dry county that the attendence wouldntr be anywhere near what a wet counties would be

Edens, although a Bentonville resident, I wouldn't be sad to see Springdale get this, either.

[slyder1]

Looks like some opposition is forming against Springdale. We could have a bit of trouble with this.

Springdale : Wichita officials vow to keep baseball team

BY CHARLIE MORASCH

Posted on Saturday, July 8, 2006

WICHITA, Kan.

[mcheiss]

Mcheiss.... this is what I meant in an earlier post when I said "NWA is bitting off more than they can chew." Now I'm not saying that baseball wouldn't survive in NWA, It's just the way that this whole thing is set up that is pretty pathetic.

what do you mean by this whole thing is set up pretty pathetic?

I think NWA could support the Wranglers, and I know that if the Stadium is approved, they will be moving to Springdale. The Wranglers are pathetic in Wichita, with an average attendance around 2,000 plus that crappy stadium, I know they won't stay in Kansas. They couldn't even get the mayor (they say schedule conflicts ) to come to this rally.

[slyder1]

Trying to get the public to pay for a stadium and telling them that there is a "Hopefull" team that might play in it is........PATHETIC!

Lets see.....what was (is) the attendance for the Arkansas Trav's. Once their new stadium is built that will go way up. The only reason attendance is down in Whichita is because of the stadium. If Whichita builds a new facility like the article said they might, their attendence will skyrocket as well.

[mcheiss]

Trying to get the public to pay for a stadium and telling them that there is a "Hopefull" team that might play in it is........PATHETIC!

Everyone pretty much knows the Wranglers are coming, just no confirmation from the owners on it.

And, JQH has pretty much guranteed that he will build a stadium with his money for a stadium if one isn't built in Springdale.

[KJW]

Trying to get the public to pay for a stadium and telling them that there is a "Hopefull" team that might play in it is........PATHETIC!

Lets see.....what was (is) the attendance for the Arkansas Trav's. Once their new stadium is built that will go way up. The only reason attendance is down in Whichita is because of the stadium. If Whichita builds a new facility like the article said they might, their attendence will skyrocket as well.

You know as well as I do that John Q. Hammons, whom mcheiss mentioned and who (according to news reports this week) apparently was interested as recently as last year in building a stadium for a Texas League team in Benton County (and may have apparently stepped aside for the time being to let Springdale have their moment, if not longer, in the sun), didn't get to be an 80 year old billionaire by making stupid decisions.

Now, when the Travs GM speculated that a Northwest Arkansas team would outdraw his club, I don't know if he meant "in our current (Ray Winder) stadium".

But someone is seeing SOMETHING important happen up here, and I still speculate that we ain't seen NOTHIN' yet as to how big it's going to be.

[KJW]

Here's more from today's Wichita paper...I hadn't read the estimated attendance figures yet. Note how the article makes Springdale look like a metro area unto itself seemingly without looking at the bigger NWA picture:

Springdale, a city of 63,000, has been trying to lure the Wranglers away to play in a new stadium that will be built if voters pass a 1-cent sales tax increase in a vote Tuesday.

Although Springdale's Chamber of Commerce estimates the team could bring in 5,000 people to each game compared to Wichita's 2,711 average, Wichita officials believe they have a stronger market.

In a recent comparative study it conducted, the city shows Wichita having a higher median household income, better highway access, more hotels and a longer history of baseball in the city.

And council member Paul Gray said that even if the Wranglers left, "there would be others that would be chomping at the bit to get here."

But, despite their confidence, Friday's press conference made clear that council members take the possibility seriously.

City manager George Kolb said he has left a message with Wranglers owners Bob and Mindy Rich, but, as of Thursday, he hadn't heard back.

http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/14993337.htm

[mcheiss]

I also will say that Wichita officials must feel extremly threatened to hold a rally like that for their minor league team.

[masons_dad1]

I also will say that Wichita officials must feel extremly threatened to hold a rally like that for their minor league team.

Any city that has a long history of minor league baseball would feel threatened if a city that has never had any minor league sports of any kind all of a sudden tries to take away it's team. I'm excited that NWA "may" get a minor league baseball team, but I'm not glad to hear that Wichita could be losing their baseball team when baseball has been so deeply rooted in Wichita.

[johnnydr87]

Here's more from today's Wichita paper...I hadn't read the estimated attendance figures yet. Note how the article makes Springdale look like a metro area unto itself seemingly without looking at the bigger NWA picture:

Hah. Whatever keeps them warm at night.

[Aporkalypse]

A couple of comments:

1) The city of Wichita has the right to buy the team outright as terms of their lease agreement with the Riches if the team breaks the lease prior to 2009. City officials earlier said they weren't in the business of owning a team. Considering now they're trying to drum up an ownership group in the community, there's no reason the city couldn't buy the team and turn around and sell it to that group which would live Springdale or any NWA city out of the loop. This would be the worst possible scenario as it would be tough to find another suitable team to move to NWA.

2) People in KS probably really don't understand where Springdale is or that it's part of a larger metro area. Often out of staters know Little Rock and maybe Fayetteville or Hot Springs but few know about Springdale or Rogers unless they have family or friends there.

3) I wonder if some of these announcements by Wichita city leaders are meant to influence the Springdale vote.

4) I find it interesting that in many articles at the Wichita Eagle one of the main excuses about poor attendance is that it's a "Wichita State town". The NWA market has the team that led the nation in college baseball attendance (actual) and was 2nd in tickets sold (official attendance). That makes me wonder. I still think NWA could support a team and for the first few years attendance would be excellent regardless. I wonder if ultimately competition with the Razorbacks would be a problem.

5) I don't think it's that unprecedented for a stadium to be built without a team to play in it. After all, Hammons Field sat empty for a year before a team agreed to move there.

6) Buying a team is not a way to make money and I can't see Hammons doing it as an investment. The fact he looked into it and didn't do it probably tells you the answer. He did so for Springfield because it's his community. Interesting, he doesn't own the Springfield Cardinals - they are actually owned by the St Louis Cards organization. However, Hammons (adnt he Riches for that matter) is small-time by NWA standards. There are a number of people, even non-Waltons, up there that could make things happen very easily if they wanted to.

[KJW]

A couple of comments:

1) The city of Wichita has the right to buy the team outright as terms of their lease agreement with the Riches if the team breaks the lease prior to 2009. City officials earlier said they weren't in the business of owning a team. Considering now they're trying to drum up an ownership group in the community, there's no reason the city couldn't buy the team and turn around and sell it to that group which would live Springdale or any NWA city out of the loop. This would be the worst possible scenario as it would be tough to find another suitable team to move to NWA.

2) People in KS probably really don't understand where Springdale is or that it's part of a larger metro area. Often out of staters know Little Rock and maybe Fayetteville or Hot Springs but few know about Springdale or Rogers unless they have family or friends there.

3) I wonder if some of these announcements by Wichita city leaders are meant to influence the Springdale vote.

4) I find it interesting that in many articles at the Wichita Eagle one of the main excuses about poor attendance is that it's a "Wichita State town". The NWA market has the team that led the nation in college baseball attendance (actual) and was 2nd in tickets sold (official attendance). That makes me wonder. I still think NWA could support a team and for the first few years attendance would be excellent regardless. I wonder if ultimately competition with the Razorbacks would be a problem.

5) I don't think it's that unprecedented for a stadium to be built without a team to play in it. After all, Hammons Field sat empty for a year before a team agreed to move there.

6) Buying a team is not a way to make money and I can't see Hammons doing it as an investment. The fact he looked into it and didn't do it probably tells you the answer. He did so for Springfield because it's his community. Interesting, he doesn't own the Springfield Cardinals - they are actually owned by the St Louis Cards organization. However, Hammons (adnt he Riches for that matter) is small-time by NWA standards. There are a number of people, even non-Waltons, up there that could make things happen very easily if they wanted to.

In response:

1) If NWA is dependent solely upon Wichita (and I have indeed been bothered by some Springdale officials comments which make it sound like that's somewhat the case) we've got no call for looking at a team.

2) Correct. Same for people across America, pretty much.

3) If so, that tells me they think Springdale's got some significant chance at this. They are in contact with municipalities and metro areas across America...they've got more than a clue as to what NWA is all about.

4) That takes me back to the very first article I read (in the Bentonville News) I believe, in summer 2002 which asked "Could NWA support a team?" (No mention at all of John Q. Hammons...no mention of a Texas League team. This was "Could a class A ball club be considered for here?")

In that article, U of A's baseball coach Van Horn said he thought minor league baseball would be a good thing for the area. He also said the U of A sharing facilities with said team would not be a good thing.

5) Probably not. We can all rest assured that said stadium in NWA won't be empty and/or without a team for very long.

6) Yep, but they're big enough. And indeed there are those in NWA who could make this happen. But rich people frequently don't get rich investing their own money, but other people' s money. And from the limited corporate exposure I've seen here I'm guessing there will be companies who will jump on certain opportunities here if, no, when a baseball team comes.

[KJW]

Wow...here's a BIG read on this entire upcoming vote in today's NWA News...it addresses public vs. private funding, Wichita, the University of Arkansas, and many other things.

[KJW]

Wow...here's a BIG read on this entire upcoming vote in today's NWA News...it addresses public vs. private funding, Wichita, the University of Arkansas, and many other things.

And, here's an article in the (Stephens) News, one of a series they have in today's edition...http://www.nwaonline.com/articles/2006/07/...1azballpark.txt, with this interesting quote:

The stadium would make the quality of life in Springdale better, Webb said.

"Springdale is in danger of falling into the crack," Webb said. "Fayetteville has the University (of Arkansas) and Bentonville has Wal-Mart. Rogers has all the new retail. Springdale doesn't have a distinct image."

[Mith242]

It's hard for me to blindly follow a lot of these articles about all of this. To be honest I still get the feeling there are other things behind the scenes that we aren't seeing. I can see Wichita people reacting a bit of the way they apparently are to the situation. But to be honest the city is going to have to get it's act together to keep the team. Even if Springdale doesn't pass this, I think it's only a matter of time before someone else goes after the team. While it's possible that they do have an option to buy out the team. I have to also question whether they have the resources and the will to do so. Would you really invest that much money in all of this for 2,000 average attendance? But anyway back to Springdale. I've been talking to some Springdale friends and having them ask around about the situation. Most say opinions seem very close to 50-50. Some of the ones opposing it aren't exactly against having a baseball team, just the way it's being presented here. I still think a lot of this will rely on who goes out and votes. This is a special election which traditionally don't usually get many people out to vote. Overall there seems to be more of a unified group against this compared to those for it. I just wonder if those opposed to it are more likely to go out and vote against it than the ones who are for it.

[KJW]

It's hard for me to blindly follow a lot of these articles about all of this. To be honest I still get the feeling there are other things behind the scenes that we aren't seeing. I can see Wichita people reacting a bit of the way they apparently are to the situation. But to be honest the city is going to have to get it's act together to keep the team. Even if Springdale doesn't pass this, I think it's only a matter of time before someone else goes after the team. While it's possible that they do have an option to buy out the team. I have to also question whether they have the resources and the will to do so. Would you really invest that much money in all of this for 2,000 average attendance? But anyway back to Springdale. I've been talking to some Springdale friends and having them ask around about the situation. Most say opinions seem very close to 50-50. Some of the ones opposing it aren't exactly against having a baseball team, just the way it's being presented here. I still think a lot of this will rely on who goes out and votes. This is a special election which traditionally don't usually get many people out to vote. Overall there seems to be more of a unified group against this compared to those for it. I just wonder if those opposed to it are more likely to go out and vote against it than the ones who are for it.

Results of a "straw poll" on this by the latter paper.

I think the recently announced presence of people who are willing to or can build this on their own nickel in NWA will change this debate if anything...this Tuesday's going to be interesting, Mith.

[Mith242]

Springdale is in danger of falling into the crack," Webb said. "Fayetteville has the University (of Arkansas) and Bentonville has Wal-Mart. Rogers has all the new retail. Springdale doesn't have a distinct image.

I think this is a good point to make. I know Aporkalypse has said there isn't going to be a lot of financial gain with the ballpark. Although I do thing there will be outside infleunces that could make this more profitable. But more than anything I think Springdale needs this more for it's image than anything. A possible way of it making a name for itself even in the metro itself, let alone to anyone outside of it.

[itk]

Come to think of it, where is the famous Springdale-based food-mogul family all this? They have $, Springdale promotionalism (if that's a word)... they did after all help fund the baseball/sports complex straight across of I-540.

[Mith242]

Come to think of it, where is the famous Springdale-based food-mogul family all this? They have $, Springdale promotionalism (if that's a word)... they did after all help fund the baseball/sports complex straight across of I-540.

It is odd that Tyson has been rather quiet about this whole thing.

[KJW]

It is odd that Tyson has been rather quiet about this whole thing.

Interesting...it's GEORGE (the other chicken guy (or is that "chicken feed"?)) who's behind this.

[mcheiss]

Interesting...it's GEORGE (the other chicken guy (or is that "chicken feed"?)) who's behind this.

Primarily because the ballpark will be built on his land.

[Mith242]

I wonder if the Tysons aren't getting very involved because it involves the George's. Although it's not really like they're competition or anything.

[KJW]

BTW, in todays (Springdale, F'ville, B'ville, Rogers) News there is a large rendering of the stadium (it's been posted here before) with an explanation of what each building in the rendering is supposed to be. They've a really nice 4 page section on the proposed Springdale project.

[Mith242]

BTW, in todays (Springdale, F'ville, B'ville, Rogers) News there is a large rendering of the stadium (it's been posted here before) with an explanation of what each building in the rendering is supposed to be. They've a really nice 4 page section on the proposed Springdale project.

Wish I had gotten a Morning News today. Not sure if I feel like going out to just get a paper now.