Freier Talks New Chattanooga Ballpark

A “win, win, win” scenario and enough time to build a new stadium in Chattanooga is all Jason Freier needs, and the Chattanooga Lookouts would no longer be playing inside AT&T Field on Hawk Hill.  Read more here.

Stadium Board Hears About Improvement Needs at Spirit Communications Park

The Columbia Fireflies (Single-A, South Atlantic League) and city officials told a newly formed stadium board of advisers this week that several expensive upkeep projects are in the works for Spirit Communications Park, the minor league ballfield that only opened just over a year ago.  Read more and view photos here.

Columbia Baseball Stadium on Track

Baseball team owner Jason Freier said construction on Columbia’s baseball stadium is on track for an April 2016 minor league season opening.  The Hardball Capital owner spoke to Columbia City Council officials and business owners last week about progress on the multipurpose venue in the Columbia Commons development on Bull Street.  Read more here.

MLB Approves Sale of Lookouts

The sale of the Chattanooga Lookouts to Atlanta-based general partners Jason Freier and John Woods has been approved by Major League Baseball.  Read more here.  Meanwhile, please enjoy a little “Chattanooga Cho Cho” and the Lookouts Train, which received a new look awhile back thanks to local artist Kristin Meyer.  Watch video here.

City, Team Officials Break Ground on New Columbia Ballpark

Officials from the City of Columbia (SC), Hughes Development, Spirit Communications, and Hardball Capital held a groundbreaking ceremony this morning at the future site of the new $37 million ballpark that will be built for a yet-to-be-officially-revealed relocating Minor League Baseball team.  Read more and view photo here.

View ballpark renderings below:

Savannah Wants Answer for 2016

Hardball Capital, the owner of the Single-A Savannah Sand Gnats (South Atlantic League) that might be relocating to Columbia (SC), has until Jan. 1 to let the city of Savannah (GA) know whether the minor league baseball team will play in Grayson Stadium in 2016.  Read more here.  Thanks to Joshua Grace for the link.

Columbia Team Approved by MiLB

Hardball Capital, the group bringing a professional team to Columbia’s (SC) Bull Street development for the 2016 season, has received the required approval from Minor League Baseball.  The Single-A Savannah Sand Gnats (South Atlantic League) remain a prime candidate for relocation.  Read more here.

‘Name Our Team’ Contest Extended in Columbia

PRESS RELEASE – As a result of a tremendous response so far, Columbia’s new professional baseball team is extending the Name Our Team contest for nine more days until Friday, October 24. Since the Name Our Team contest was first announced on September 29, the team has received more than 1,300 suggestions on ColumbiaProBall.com.

Savannah Ballpark Study Faces Scrutiny

It was not smooth sailing for Johnson Consulting’s $55,000 taxpayer-funded ballpark study, as Savannah (GA) City Council members challenged the unscientific survey taken as part of the study and sited the firm’s failure of to incorporate the cost of land in the project’s overall price tag.  Hardball Capital, the owner of the Single-A Sand Gnats (South Atlantic League), is planning to move

Columbia (SC), Hardball Capital Amend Ballpark Agreement

The City of Columbia (SC) and Hardball Capital have amended the agreement that would allow the company to manage the city’s planned baseball stadium at the Bull Street development site.  Read more and view agreement details here.

Columbia Considers Options for Financing New Ballpark

The city of Columbia (SC) is looking at three revenue sources that could fund a new baseball stadium for an affiliated club, two of which are bonds that could cost the city roughly $70 million or $80 million over the next several decades.  Read more here.

Parkview Field a Model for Savannah

Hardball Capital, which owns the Single-A Savannah Sand Gnats (South Atlantic League) and Single-A Fort Wayne TinCaps (Midwest League), flew the Savannah City Council and business leaders to Fort Wayne over the weekend to tour three-year-old Parkview Field and showcase what “could be” on a portion of the Savannah River Landings site on the riverfront.  Read more here and here.  Historic