Are there some journalists in this community that are so out of touch with reality that they just propose anything based on nothing and hope for results;
But the Sioux Falls sports and entertainment scene didn’t get to where it is by settling for a modest status quo. The Premier Center, Pentagon, Kirkeby-Over Stadium, even Howard Wood Field – those are among the best venues in the country for their size and level of competition.
It’s time for baseball to join the party.
While I will confess I don’t follow sports (local, college, Olympic or professional, none of the above) I do know one thing, spending taxpayer money on a new baseball stadium in Sioux Falls is not only a bad idea, it will never pass the smell test. I encourage all those who think it is a good idea to start a petition drive for a bond initiative and watch as it gets voted down 2-1.
these articles always fail to mention that the state of minnesota paid for the new st paul stadium. can you imagine the state of sd spending a dime on anything in sioux falls? also, this is mmm’s self-proclaimed “sports and entertainment district”. shouldn’t any sport facility be built there, with all the economic development going on by the denty?
Sorry, piggy bank is empty. Huether spent it all and then some.
Maybe after the Denty, indoor pool, admin building, and mixed use building are paid off.
Hopefully the city will stop resurfacing the street Huether’s house is on every 2-3 years now that he’s gone. That should save a few bucks.
I was at the meeting when CSL did their presentation.
Matt Zimmer of the AL must not have been at the same meeting because at no time did CSL say:
“It’s time to replace the 54-year-old home of the Canaries with a downtown ballpark.”
Does not matter where the city chooses to put a baseball stadium. Without being in a major league baseball teams minor leagie farm system, it will FAIL. Don’t give two rips what the CSL “study†says, this is why baseball in SF is dead.
I feel, that the phrase, “a canary in the coal mine ” is somehow appropriate for this discussion…. 😉
What’s wrong with the present facility? It’s never a capacity crowd. An older stadium has character. The need for baseball is met. There’s no money for more sports construction. Huether blew it all on inferior construction or private tennis for himself.
Zimmer gets this part correct: attendance to minor league sports is more associated with marketing prowess, less with won-loss record of the team. But, there is a major omission from Zimmer’s narrative.
Zimmer mentions the lackluster average attendance which resulted from the on-field success during the 2010 season (“see, people won’t even pay to see a winner if the team is not playing in a new stadium”).
The omitted, but critical fact: 2010 was the initial season of the since aborted rebrand of the franchise as “The Sioux Falls Fighting Pheasants”.
Do ya’ think that had any impact on attendance in 2010, Mr. Zimmer?
tl; dr. Attendance of greater than ‘0’ in 2017 is a win. The Sioux Falls Fighting Pheasants were headed for extinction.
That attendance has risen from the 1,910 in the 2010 season is testament to the marketing efforts of the current ownership group.
Former owners inflicted a mortal, life-threatening wound to independant league baseball in the city with a failed marketing re-brand of the team as “The Fighting Pheasants”.
The new owners rescued the franchise from a deathbed; current attendance, even while they have fielded teams with lackluster on-field attraction, is improved over the 2010 attendance figures. Marketing!
The $63,000 CSL Report says about the same thing for all “independant†baseball operations. Capturing 1.5% of population within 15 minutes of a ballpark is normal. Where it’s located, and more than modest status quo will make no difference. We simply do not have the population base to keep a new $60,000,000 DT 6-8000 seat stadium full, or even close to it.
I’ll never understand why the city should spend millions to build a stadium for a team that’s in a league not affiliated with any major league team. They’re below not only AAA and AA but even the rookie leagues. For those who like baseball it’s quite fun but we would never see a return on that investment.
Sarpy County, Nebraska (suburban Omaha) built its stadium for a little more than half that for similar capacity.
Did the CSL report discuss college and HS use and potential for possible Division II playoff site?
Will it be called the “Matt Stab Stadium,” too? Or, will that be lost like the once HHH Metrodome?
It’s like corporations not only own us now, but they also now owned the politicians to the point of non existence….(Happily, that’s actually good…Well, in a way… (?))
IF you want real sports and entertainment, the city should just build everyone a sprint car track.
anominous,
Perhaps, the City should buy Badlands Speedway before the cult south of Custer does…. (I love starting rumors… 😉 )
speaking of rumors, i heard chuck brennan is holding on to the badlands pawn building to open a sports betting parlor when the constitution is changed.