Zoo Unveils Rosenblatt Stadium Memorial

The Omaha Zoo on Friday held a ceremony unveiling the new “Johnny Rosenblatt’s Infield at the Zoo,” a memorial paying tribute to the stadium that played host to the College World Series for 60 years and the Triple-A Omaha Royals (Pacific Coast League).  Read more and view photo gallery here.  View Action 3 News photo gallery here.

Demolition of Rosenblatt Underway

The demolition of Rosenblatt Stadium, the former home of the College World Series and Triple-A Omaha Royals, is now underway.  The ballpark will face more of a surgical dismantling, rather than a big wrecking ball, because Rosenblatt was built with so much steel.  Anderson Excavating has six months to finish the job.  Read more and view video report here.

Saying Goodbye to Rosenblatt Stadium…One Last Time

The Omaha Zoo Foundation opened up Rosenblatt Stadium one last time Tuesday, June 12, to allow fans to pay their final respects.  The former home of the College World Series and Triple-A Omaha club is set to be demolished in July.  Read more here.  View photo gallery here.

Rosenblatt (Seats) Live On

Rosenblatt Stadium, former home of the College World Series and the Triple-A Omaha Royals (Pacific Coast League) is going bye-bye, but 20,000 feet of seating at the old ballpark will live on at the football field at Saint Albert School in Council Bluffs (IA).  Read more here.

Sarpy County Approves Cost-Sharing Deal, Papillion City Up Next

A cost-sharing deal between Sarpy County and the City of Papillion to fund Werner Park, the new stadium for the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers (formerly Omaha Royals), has been approved by Sarpy County.  Papillion will vote on the agreement next Tuesday.  Under the deal, all sales taxes and other taxes from the ballpark and surrounding development will be turned

ESPN’s Neyer Slams ‘Storm Chasers’ as Latest Embarrassment

ESPN senior writer Rob Neyer takes a few powerful shots at the Triple-A club in Omaha for re-naming the team the “Omaha Storm Chasers” and (allegedly) holding a phony “name the team” contest.  Read more here.  MiLB writer Benjamin Hill disgrees about the branding and states on his blog that “it’s clear that [Neyer] doesn’t have a strong grasp of Minor League Baseball operating principles.”  All this

It’s the ‘Omaha Storm Chasers’

PRESS RELEASE – The Omaha Storm Chasers will be the name of the Triple-A Baseball team playing in Werner Park when the new ballpark opens on April 15, 2011. The name, mascots – Stormy, Vortex and Casey – team logo and uniforms were introduced Monday evening at an event open to the public at the La Vista Embassy Suites.

New Sarpy Stadium is Now Werner Park (no relation to Werner Klemperer)

PRESS RELEASE – Werner Park is the name of the new Sarpy County Baseball Park, which will officially open on April 15, 2011. The name was announced by Martie J. Cordaro, Vice President and General Manager of the Omaha Royals at an afternoon news conference held Thursday, November 11, 2010.

Corporate Partners Announced for Sarpy County Ballpark

PRESS RELEASE – The new Sarpy County Baseball ballpark will officially open on April 15, 2011. When it does fans will notice some very familiar Omaha corporate names throughout the ballpark. Quality Brands of Omaha has signed on as a Founding Corporate Partner, sponsoring the Scoreboard Bar, located to the left of center field near the scoreboard. A second Founding Corporate Partner is

Omaha Royals Down to 9 Names in Rename the Team Contest

The Triple-A Omaha Royals have narrowed the list of possible new team names to Cattlemen, Commanders, Force, Hailstorm, Omahogs, Sodbusters, and Storm Chasers.  Keeping the team’s current name also remains an option.  Read more here.  Our favorite is Sodbusters, which we thought long ago would be a great name for a team in the right location.  It is unique and applicable.  Cattlemen

Marketing the New Sarpy County Ballpark

Sarpy County is poised to pay Heartland Marketing and Consulting at least $40,000 for a one-year contract to develop a marketing plan for the new 6,400-seat ballpark for the Triple-A Omaha Royals.  Here is a very abbreviated “free” plan for you:  Secure a ballpark naming rights partner, develop a ballpark logo for the facility, slap the logo in/on every possible publication in the region, secure an

Royals to Totally Control New Park, May Change Team Name

The Omaha Royals are obviously excited about their new $26 million, DLR Group-designed ballpark in Sarpy County.  They should be.  The Royals are getting 100 percent control of the park and all the revenues that go with it.  Interesting too, fans will get a chance to vote to change the team’s nickname later this season.  We assume one option will be to keep the current moniker.  Our opinion?  Ditch it for a new and creative brand that will give the franchise a money-making one-two punch when combined with the opening of the new park.  Read more here.

10 Things to Miss About Rosenblatt

Kendall Rogers, college baseball editor for Yahoo! Sports and Rivals.com takes a look at the top 10 things we will miss about Omaha’s Rosenblatt Stadium.  Read more here.

A Profile on a Triple-A Director of Merchandise

Utica (NY) Observer-Dispatch reporter Anne Delaney takes a look at area native Jason Kinney, who serves as the director of merchandise for the Triple-A Omaha Royals.  Kelly has been extra busy this year in the marchandise department with the Rosenblatt Stadium era coming to a close.  Read more here.

Budweiser Clydesdales to Appear at Rosenblatt

PRESS RELEASE – The world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales, the symbol of quality and tradition for Anheuser-Busch since 1933, are scheduled to make several appearances in the Omaha area, including one at Rosenblatt Stadium in conjunction with the Omaha Royals game on Sunday, June 13th. During the 1:35 p.m. contest vs. the Nashville

New Sarpy County Ballpark Taking Shape

Construction continues on the new stadium in Sarpy County for the Triple-A Omaha (NE) Royals.  View photos here.

Korn Lead Singer Jonathan Davis to Throw Out First Pitch

PRESS RELEASE – The rock group Korn will be playing a sold-out concert at Sokol Auditorium on the night of Monday, May 24th. Before the show, the group’s lead singer, Jonathan Davis, will throw out a ceremonial first pitch prior to the Omaha Royals 6:35 p.m. game vs. the Colorado Springs Sky Sox at Rosenblatt Stadium.

Pricetag for New Sarpy Ballpark Up 28 Percent

It is projected that the cost for the new ballpark in Sarpy County for the Triple-A Omaha Royals will rise from $20.3 million to $24 million and could climb to $26 million.  This is still below the $41 million average for Triple-A parks built since 1996.  Read more here.

Zesto Makes Strategic Move Near Omaha’s New Ballpark

A fan favorite near Rosenblatt Stadium for years, Zesto soft serve ice cream is negotiating with the city to locate a new shop near TD Ameritrade Park, which is currently under construction.  Read more here.

‘Fish’ Joins Beef as Team’s New GM

PRESS RELEASE – Kyle Fisher has resigned as Vice President/Baseball Operations for the Omaha Royals to accept the position of Senior Vice President/General Manager of the Omaha Beef. After spending the past 22 years working in professional sports, the last nine of which were with the Royals, Fisher today takes over the reigns of Omaha’s professional indoor football team.

City Looks to ‘Bank’ on Rosenblatt’s Coming Demise

The City of Omaha has reached a tentative deal with the Triple-A Omaha Royals that would give the city a cut (a 7 1/2% merchandise fee, apparently) of any merchandise they sell with the Rosenblatt Stadium name on it, and they want the NCAA and the College World Series, Inc. to agree to a similar deal.  The NCAA and CWS object to the idea.  Read more here.

Snow, Sub-Zero Temps Delay Sarpy Ballpark

The nasty winter in Nebraska has prevented scheduled progress on the new 6,000-seat, $26 million ballpark for the Triple-A Omaha Royals in Sarpy County.  Despite the delay, the stadium is expected to open on time by March 15, 2011.  The principal architect for the project is Omaha-based DLR, which wisely factored in possible weather challenges for winter time construction in Nebraska.  Read more here.

Sarpy Co. Saves on Ballpark Financing

Because of lower than expected interest rates, Sarpy County expects to save $1.5 million over the life of the bonds issued for the new 6,000-seat $26 million ballpark for the AAA Omaha Royals that is expected to open in 2011.  Read more here.

State Sen. Pitches ‘Turnback’ Tax to Help Fund Area Ballparks

State Sen. Brad Ashford says it is time for Douglas and Sarpy Counties to get along and start working together.  He is proposing a ‘turnback’ tax that would take sales tax revenues generated by retail sales at the ballparks and nearby hotels, and ‘turn back’ those revenues to the host communities to help pay the debt on the facilities.  His proposal also creates an incentive for the new facilities to cooperate on marketing and the scheduling of events.  Read more here.