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Facilities

Renovations Begin On Memphis RedBirds' Ballpark, With Help From Parent Club Cardinals

A $6.5M renovation of the Triple-A PCL Memphis Redbirds' AutoZone Park has "begun by first removing more than 3,000 fixed seats and with the gutting of suites and club areas," according to Zack McMillin of the Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL. The seats are "being replaced by expanded (and less expensive) bluff seating areas, in left field and right field, and enhanced (and more expensive) possibilities in the suite and club areas." The total renovation is being "funded in part" by a previously undisclosed $2M from the parent club Cardinals. The bulk of the funding, $4.5M, "comes from money set aside last year when the city of Memphis took ownership by agreeing to take over stadium bonds" with more than $32M in payments remaining. The upgrades include "reducing capacity from the current 12,000-plus to 10,000 total, with the total number of fixed seats down to 8,404 but with more general-admission bluff seating." There also "will be a 14-foot tall by 140-foot long videoboard directly on the left field wall, and then two long narrow ribbon video boards -- 3-feet by 150-feet -- installed below the suite-level seating on the first-base and third-base lines." Additionally, all 29 suites, "up for renewal after expiration of 15-year agreements, will be renovated." The Redbirds are "offering new terms for suites, with five- and seven- and 10-year agreements available." A new club space, "akin to a high-end sports bar, is being added on the far end of the first-base side that will give fans all-inclusive food and drink options" (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 1/7). In Memphis, Michael Sheffield noted the project is being done by Montgomery Martin Contractors of Memphis, and "was designed" by K.C.-based Pendulum Studio II. It is "expected to be completed by the team's April 3 exhibition game against the Cardinals" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 1/6).

GOIN' TO CAROLINA? In South Carolina, Cliff LeBlanc notes a "ceremonial groundbreaking" was held yesterday for Columbia's Spirit Communications Park. Hardball Capital Chair & CEO Jason Freier, who owns the Single-A Midwest League Ft. Wayne TinCaps and Single-A South Atlantic League Savannah Sand Gnats, is planning to "bring professional baseball back to the capital city." But neither Freier nor "any official at the ceremony released new details about features" of the $37M ballpark or how its "interior will look." The ballpark is "intended to hold about 8,500 spectators for baseball and more for other events." Chief Project Manager Gregory Tucker said that actual digging is "set to start Monday." He added that final construction drawings "are due Feb. 27 and a construction contractor will be selected by the end of March" (Columbia STATE, 1/7). Freier yesterday said that an official announcement "wasn't forthcoming until this spring" about what team might move to Columbia. But in South Carolina, Neil White notes Freier owns the Sand Gnats, which "could lead to Savannah's team landing in Columbia for the start of the 2016 season" (Columbia STATE, 1/7).

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