New York-Penn League to Morgantown
It was announced Tuesday that the New York-Penn League intends to move one of its franchises to a yet-to-be-built ballpark in Morgantown, W.Va., in time for the 2015 season.
According to the Clarksburg (W.Va.) Exponent-Telegram, that franchise will be the Jamestown Jammers, the Pittsburgh Pirates' affiliate in the short-season Class A league.
The Morgantown ballpark, which will be built at University Town Center, just off the Star City exit of Interstate 79, will be shared by the New York-Penn League team and West Virginia University. There is a precedent for a successful college/pro partnership in that league with Penn State and the State College Spikes sharing Medlar Park.
We mentioned the Morgantown ballpark on this blog back in June of 2012. Remember the artist's renderings that look almost identical to Consol Energy Park?
So what does a ballpark in Morgantown have to do with the Wild Things? Well, it might pull away some fans in Greene County who make a visit or two to Washington to see the Wild Things, but it shouldn't be a major hit to attendance at CEP.
The significant impact, however, could be on the planned Frontier League move to Bridgeport, W.Va., which is only 37 miles south of Morgantown. The Wild Things' ownership group plans to put a team in a yet-to-be-built Bridgeport ballpark in 2014. Officials in Bridgeport announced in late January that site work could begin on the ballpark within 90 days, though no funding plans for the stadium have been finalized. The cost of the project has been estimated at $10 million and funding is expected to be a mix of public and private dollars. The Morgantown ballpark, which is estimated to cost between $16 and $18 million, will likely be financed, by tax increment financing (TIF).
This begs the question, is West Virginia big enough to build and support two new minor-league ballparks that will be drawing from much of the same pool of baseball fans?
According to the Clarksburg (W.Va.) Exponent-Telegram, that franchise will be the Jamestown Jammers, the Pittsburgh Pirates' affiliate in the short-season Class A league.
The Morgantown ballpark, which will be built at University Town Center, just off the Star City exit of Interstate 79, will be shared by the New York-Penn League team and West Virginia University. There is a precedent for a successful college/pro partnership in that league with Penn State and the State College Spikes sharing Medlar Park.
We mentioned the Morgantown ballpark on this blog back in June of 2012. Remember the artist's renderings that look almost identical to Consol Energy Park?
So what does a ballpark in Morgantown have to do with the Wild Things? Well, it might pull away some fans in Greene County who make a visit or two to Washington to see the Wild Things, but it shouldn't be a major hit to attendance at CEP.
The significant impact, however, could be on the planned Frontier League move to Bridgeport, W.Va., which is only 37 miles south of Morgantown. The Wild Things' ownership group plans to put a team in a yet-to-be-built Bridgeport ballpark in 2014. Officials in Bridgeport announced in late January that site work could begin on the ballpark within 90 days, though no funding plans for the stadium have been finalized. The cost of the project has been estimated at $10 million and funding is expected to be a mix of public and private dollars. The Morgantown ballpark, which is estimated to cost between $16 and $18 million, will likely be financed, by tax increment financing (TIF).
This begs the question, is West Virginia big enough to build and support two new minor-league ballparks that will be drawing from much of the same pool of baseball fans?
Labels: Bridgeport, Morgantown, New York-Penn League
posted by Chris Dugan at
6:22 AM
2 Comments:
Of course it won't be a major hit since no one goes to the games anyway
This blog needs to focus more on the players. Cubs sign this Rivero and Drains kid and nothing gets reported on them. Are they bums? Are they good? I look to Chris and this blog for those answers
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