Wichita Baseball Managing General Partner Lou Schwechheimer said that his organization "has set an ambitious goal" of hosting 200 events a year at the new $75M Triple-A ballpark being built there, according to Dion Lefler of the WICHITA EAGLE. The venue in '20 will become the home of the Triple-A PCL New Orleans Baby Cakes, who will be "renamed and relocated to Wichita." Schwechheimer said that the team is in talks with the owners of the ECHL Wichita Thunder to "play an outdoor hockey game each year," as well as "talking with music promoters about scheduling concerts" at the ballpark. The venue will "eventually have seating for 10,000 and 14 private luxury suites." The team "won't start league play until April" (WICHITA EAGLE, 8/8).
UPGRADED GOAT PEN: In Hartford, Gosselin & Goode note the new developer of a "long-stalled housing and retail project" around Dunkin’ Donuts Park said Thursday that it is "possible construction could begin within six months." The plans for the first phase on what is known as "Parcel C" -- just to the south of the Double-A Eastern League Hartford Yard Goats' ballpark -- call for $46M to "build 200 mixed-income apartments, 11,000 square feet of retail and community space and a 250-space parking garage." The first phase "would take 18 months to complete" (HARTFORD COURANT, 8/9).
