by Bryan Gentry
The Ban Johnson baseball League has proposed building two playing fields at MCC – Longview. The fields would be funded entirely by private investors.
If the league is able to raise $3 million, they will be prepared to go through with the plan. Ideally, the Ban Johnson league would like to raise $6 million and believe that is more than possible. In a best case scenario, the league would raise $10 million.
Opposition to the league building fields at Longview has been vocal.
“I’m waiting for someone to ante up $6 million for our science program,” chemistry professor Moira Frey said.
Six million dollars would be used to create an observation platform between each field, 100 percent artificial turf, a dugout that would empty into a locker room, and an endowment fund. The largest amount, $10 million, would provide renovations to the current Lakers’ field.
“The fields are part of a restoration project [of the Longview area],” developer David Gale, who proposed the project, said at a public meeting Feb. 16.
The plan recommends two possible locations. Site A is in the field just northwest of the Science and Technology building. Site B is just to the east of the High Tech building.
Both locations have large hills. Because baseball is rarely played on hills, the land would have to be reshaped. The current plan is to simply rearrange land located on these hills. The hills would not be completely removed. One field would sit about 10 feet higher than the other.
“I can see the structure blending in with Longview,” field proponent Terry Harris said.
A number of concerns were raised. MCC – Longview has a growing student population. To support this growing population, new buildings may be needed. The addition of baseball fields would remove possible locations for educational facilities.
“There always seems to be money for sports but not for education,” Frey said.
Longview Lakers’ head baseball coach Clint Culbertson disagreed. “If [these contributors] don’t give to baseball, they won’t give to this campus.”
“There are those who would contribute to the arts and not this project,” Harris added.
Lead Counselor Connie Flick-Hruska agreed with Frey. “It doesn’t really bring anything for the students,” she said.
Longview athletic director John O’Connell noted several advantages the fields would provide. Longview could save money on upkeep of the current field.
The fields could also be a source of income. Baseball camps could be held on them over the summer.
“Why would we turn down a $6 million gift?” Longview Student Government president Seth Alley said.
Each field would be based on a classic professional park in Major League Baseball. One would be modeled on Fenway Park in Boston and the other on the classic Ebbets Field of the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Ebbets Field replica would be the only one in the United States.
The new fields are needed to accommodate Ban Johnson play. The Jackson County parks, located adjacent to Longview Lake, are softball fields and have different dimensions than baseball fields.
No final agreement has been made. If one is made, construction could start as early as this fall.
March 6, 2009
Campus