|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
December 21, 2004 Record-Eagle/Douglas Tesner Work continues on Wuerfel Park in Blair Township earlier this month. Ballpark lands in Blair TownshipWuerfels find site for field of dreamsEditor's note: Northern Michigan provided the setting for many interesting news stories in 2004, tales of tragedy and triumph, of conflict and caring, of achievement and bureaucratic bungles. The Record-Eagle remembers some of the year's top stories in a continuing series on 2004 newsmakers. Today: Minor league baseball finds a home in Traverse City.By Record-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY -Minor league baseball in Traverse City went from a strikeout to a home run in 2004. A year after zoning issues and citizen complaints shut out a plan to build a new ballpark in Elmwood Township, a new stadium is taking shape off US-31 south of Traverse City after quick approval from Blair Township in September. No one is happier than team owner John Wuerfel. He earlier battled physical problems attributed to stress from the controversy over the failed proposal, leaving his family's idea in doubt. But as the weeks passed the Wuerfels heard from other parties who were interested in the idea - and from hundreds of baseball fans who urged them not to give up their dream. "We heard from a lot of people that said 'you've got to do this'," he said. "It's nice to know you've got that kind of support in the community." Folks in Blair Township say excitement is building for the new team, though its first pitch is more than a year away. "The reaction from the community has been overwhelmingly favorable," said Joseph Lowe, a township trustee. "What that stadium will bring in terms of other economic development such as restaurants and the like...it's a very positive thing for Blair Township." The park is going up on 25 acres in the Chums Village business/industrial park south of Rennie School Road. More than 100,000 cubic yards of soil was reshaped for the diamond in late fall, the clubhouse foundation is set and work will continue through the winter, Wuerfel said. The land and construction cost for the project are around $8 million, he said, enough for a modern and modest ballpark that's in scale with the community. "We've thought about it quite a bit the last few years...we've looked at a lot of minor league stadiums," he said. "We're trying to build something the area can afford." The park will have 3,500 "hard seats" and room for another 1,000 fans in special deck seating and grassy areas around the outfield. It will also feature 18 luxury boxes on the stadium's second level, and includes scouting and media facilities. The team, dubbed the Traverse City Beach Bums, is slated to open play in the independent Frontier League in May 2006.
|
|
