Once considered doubtful because of the economy and the difficulty of acquiring state-owned, debt-encumbered riverfront property, a downtown baseball stadium could be back on track, with ground to be broken later this year.
During a 25-minute conference call Thursday, Gov. Sonny Perdue told Mayor Deke Copenhaver and Cal Ripken Jr. that he's in favor of their plan to build a stadium on the 17-acre Golf and Gardens property, and he said he'll work with them to make it happen.
"It was very encouraging to me to hear him say that he's very enthusiastic about the project," said the mayor, with the Hall of Fame baseball player at a news conference later at Lake Olmstead Stadium.
Mr. Copenhaver said the governor has assigned a representative of the Georgia Department of Economic Development to help shepherd the deal.
"We are very optimistic we can have shovels in the ground in the fall," said Mr. Ripken, whose group owns the Augusta GreenJackets. He said he hopes to have his team play its first season at the new field in 2011.
But first, there are hurdles to leap.
Although the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame is being dissolved, the state owns the land and has about $3.5 million in bonded indebtedness tied up in it. The city has already invested $6 million in special-purpose sales tax money in the property, and environmental cleanup has to be done before it can be developed.
"I'm hoping we can get the property transferred at no additional cost," the mayor said.
Mr. Copenhaver said he wants the stadium, estimated to cost about $32 million, built through a public-private partnership with a minimal cost to taxpayers. The special-purpose, local-option sales tax package going before voters in June already includes $5.1 million for restoring the 1,500-seat Miller Theater and $2.5 million toward Paine College's Health Education Activities Learning Complex, which would have a 5,000-seat arena.
The baseball stadium is conceived as a mixed-use development that would further stimulate downtown revitalization. Through a tax increment financing district, bonds could be floated against expected increases in tax collections from rising property values, Mr. Copenhaver said.
Reach Johnny Edwards at (706) 823-3225 or johnny.edwards@augustachronicle.com.
For more information on the push to build a downtown baseball stadium, including conceptual drawings, go to www.bringbaseballdowntown.com.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Great news for downtown. Great news for Augusta.
A complete and total waste of money and a pending disaster for downtown.
I like the current stadium and think this is a waste of money at this time. Try cleaning up the downtown area and make it safer.
downtown IS safe, as safe as any other part of Augusta.. and the current stadium is in a bad location with minimal parking available.. moving it downtown allows for easier access and better parking..
Maybe they can transplant all those expensive gardens, if they are still alive, to the site of the old stadium or maybe they can sell them or give them away. It is a shame to just bulldoze them.
The current stadium IS fine, but its LOCATION is poor; the parking situation surrounding it is not adequate enough, either. Downtown has ample parking, shops, cafes, restaurants, hotels all within walking distance. This project will beneft Augusta more than just for the Greenjackets' schedule; Augusta will be able to bid to host college baseball tournaments, as well, bringing national exposure to the city for something other than the Masters. Augusta's proximity to ACC and SEC schools could put us in line for hosting those tournaments. The ACC moves its tournament yearly, while the SEC is currently in a mammoth minor league stadium in a suburban Birmingham community. The venue will also FINALLY provide downtown with a large-capacity outdoor concert venue. That, on top of infusing anywhere from 1 to 5 thousand fans for 70+ games in the spring and summer will provide quite a boost to downtown Augusta. THIS is the very definition of an 'economic impact.'
Frank - Are you blind or just stupid to your surroundings? Where in the H*** is there parking downtown? And don't forget the TEE center being built right down the street that will need a few thousand parking places. What I find extremely funny is the bait of the funding for Paine, just to get the Black community to pass a SPLOST for high dollar tickets. And I'll bet the Black community will support the entire SPLOST because of that one issue. I still can't believe a stadium on a site with NO access and NO parking.
All for it...let's build it and play ball!
How can you generalize about why Black will or will not vote for any issue? So just because Paine would benefit, you think Black will just step up and vote for it? Whether you are Black or White, I see that you have a low opinion of Blacks.
I am in full support of a new staduim being built. I went to the Greenjackets game last night and parking was terrible. I arrived 45 min early and still had to park near the humane society. If they address the issue of parking, I'd be great. Also, I think, it will give a boost in sales for the businesses downtown with all of those people coming downtown to see the game.
Just let Deke and Ripken pay for it. Problem solved.
it will come to a vote of the people,no ball park,sorry deke better luck next time
public-private partnership=the public gets to pay for it, the private gets to keep the profits.
I love driving to the worst part of Augusta worrying about getting shot every time I drive to Lake Olmstead stadium.
I think that trying to beautify Downtown is a horrible idea.
I think that showing interest in trying to build up your city is a horrible Idea.
I think that trying to attract new businesses to this area is a dumb Idea.
The negative comments posted here show exactly why Augusta has remained stagnate for the last 20 years...
I have no problem with the stadium, but the parking would be an issue, though it could be solved with a multi-level parking deck placed between the convention center and the stadium which could be used to support both venues. If it goes, please keep the design for the facility local with local architects and engineers, we seem to get our money's worth with local talent, and please put some thought into this to support outside activities other than baseball. A good outside concert arena would be fantastic...
If you complain about parking at the Humane Society (across the street from the ballpark), you really will be complaining about parking Broad Street to attend a stadium on Reynolds. There is no parking in the area of the proposed stadium, but that is the beauty to the City in that the people will park near shops, resturants, and other business that they will then visit before or after going to the stadium. Also for those that fear for their life driving down Milledge Rd past the Olmstead Homes, when was the last time there was a shooting there? How often do vehicles get broken into while at a game? The crime statistics do not support your fear. However, why not just drive on the other side of the lake and arrive from the west?
My preference would be to level Regency Mall (use eminent domain) and put a stadium there, along with shopping and restaurants. The stadium will need to be operated by private enterprise and NOT by government appointed committee. Otherwise, we'll end up with a stadium and no team. The current stadium is a good facility, unfortunately, it is in a lousy location. It lacks adequate parking and there are no other options (i.e. eating, shopping) nearby. So a downtown location would be a plus, if parking can be addressed. My main concern is what becomes of the current facility? There needs to be some consideration to a re-vitalization of the Lake Olmstead area. Otherwise it could eventually start having problems like Harrisburg is going through due to government neglect. As far as the comment about Paine College being offered money to entise greater support for SPLOST, so what. That is how our system works.
Purdue needs to attend EVERY home game this year at the current stadium/location, I guarantee you if and after he does, he want be as whole heartedly in support of it then. The current stadium is NEVER at capacity and people really don't go out there to see them on a regular.
I don't have any problem with the stadium and its location. Parking is not so bad. You have to walk everywhere you go anyway.
I have no problem with a stadium downtown. It's the location that I don't agree with. Putting the stadium on riverfront property is a waste of prime property. The only parking close to the proposed site is owned by Billy Morris and the Boardmans. Deke has a real interest in having the stadium where his family will benefit. They build it on the river and people attending games will be walking much farther then they currently do at the current stadium. I'm sure the people on the South Carolina side of the river are going to love all the noise from the ballgames and the concerts too.
The downtown muli-use development (and yes that is what it will be, not ONLY baseball) is a FANTASTIC idea. IT is much needed for Augusta's growth as a whole. It will spark interest in the city as well as the entire CSRA with the "life" it will bring to downtown. The new build will bring a glow of optimism to what is most lacking downtown...Pride and Spirit. I'd be honored to contribute my tax money for the betterment of the city's future for your children and mine.
so you have to walk a bit.. upwards of 10,000 people attend borderbash, far more than that for 4th of July. how can you say there's no parking downtown
This is absolutely ridiculous on so many levels. If the Greenjackets want to build a new stadium then let them pay for it. They are already being given land from the government. For the government to offer a SPLOST and combine it to support an arena for a private Methodist church based Negro college with taxpayer money is absolutely ridiculous. If private enterprise can't sustain themselves without government subsidies then they don't need to exist. It is simple supply and demand. Some people on here have touted about baseball tournaments and concerts being held at a new stadium. Get real! You can barely get any concerts at the arena and they are somewhat sparsely attended.
you all just like to moan and complain.... walking to far, benifiting the rich, too much noise....people get a life
Sports teams don't build stadiums to stay in a city, cities build stadiums to keep the sports teams. THAT boils down to supply and demand! If Augusta won't support the GreenJackets then Mr. Ripken will have no problems finding a community elsewhere who will. Cal is a class act, through and through...he wants the GreenJackets to possess this same characteristic. We are lucky to be the home of sports team who has an owner who cares and is driven to do as much as Mr. Ripken is.
I don't think neighborhoods have problems b/c of government neglect.
And a perfectly nice stadium was built at Lake Olmstead with taxpayer money in 1995 that holds 4400 people. When did the lifespan of a stadium become 14 years? That is a ridiculous waste. Capacity isn't a problem and parking isn't a problem. If people want the Greenjackets in a new riverfront stadium then let those fans pay higher ticket, concession, and parking prices and let the Greenjackets build the stadium themselves.
What type of "environmental cleanup" would there be at the downtown site? It's supposed to be gardens, etc....
There goes the neighborhood. Other than trains at night North Augusta is fairly quiet. Now this.
do it deke!