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Post by rf1 on Jul 28, 2022 8:56:55 GMT -5
Following the previous pattern with Tsongas Arena, the City of Lowell has sold its baseball park for $1M to nearby UMass-Lowell after losing its minor league tenant. UMass-Lowell has pledged that it will immediately spend at least $3 million in the short term to bring the stadium up to NCAA standards to host its NCAA baseball games.
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Post by timholycross on Jul 28, 2022 9:11:32 GMT -5
What exactly do they have to do to it to make it meet NCAA Division 1 standards? If there were minor league baseball games there in 2019, can't imagine what they need to spend 3 million on. You don't need as many stands for a college baseball game in the freezing New England spring cold as a pro game in nice weather.
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Post by rf1 on Jul 28, 2022 10:41:39 GMT -5
My read on this sale is that the City of Lowell has come to the conclusion that getting MLB affiliated baseball (Single A, Double A, and Triple A) back is likely not going to happen. The reported need for some $30M in ballpark upgrades and recent contraction of the minor league system doomed its chances. Part of the Boston.com story is misleading as there is no way that UMass-Lowell could ever justify spending tens of millions that would be required for that to happen. I think the city made the pragmatic decision to stop the bleeding and sell at a bargain rate to a entity that will make minor upgrades and be a good local steward. UMass-Lowell made investments in Tsongas and the arena continues to contribute to the city. It however no longer does so with a minor league hockey team. The school's River Hawks are the community's hockey team. I think you will see something similar with LeLacheur Park. The school will make some minor upgrades and its NCAA baseball team will play there and perhaps they get a collegiate league type team like the Bravehearts for the summers.
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Post by longsuffering on Jul 28, 2022 10:58:00 GMT -5
The city of Springfield off loaded it's Civic Center to the State, Lowell has sold two facilities. Worcester is hanging in there with two city owned minor league venues. Congratulations...I think.
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Post by rf1 on Jul 28, 2022 11:19:43 GMT -5
The city of Springfield off loaded it's Civic Center to the State, Lowell has sold two facilities. Worcester is hanging in there with two city owned minor league venues. Congratulations...I think. The city of Lowell is fortunate that the UMass-Lowell campus surrounds these venues and the school was willing to take on ownership and operation. Tsongas Arena opened in January 1998 and was sold just a bit over a decade later for $1 to UMass-Lowell. The university has spent more than $5 in upgrades and its hockey team plays there and it also attracts other non-school events. LeLacheur Park was also opened in 1998. It remained in city hands for over 20 years before being sold for $1M to UMass-Lowell. The loss of the main tenant minor league teams for these venues necessitated both their sales. |
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Post by longsuffering on Jul 28, 2022 15:06:38 GMT -5
The city of Springfield off loaded it's Civic Center to the State, Lowell has sold two facilities. Worcester is hanging in there with two city owned minor league venues. Congratulations...I think. The city of Lowell is fortunate that the UMass-Lowell campus surrounds these venues and the school was willing to take on ownership and operation. Tsongas Arena opened in January 1998 and was sold just a bit over a decade later for $1 to UMass-Lowell. The university has spent more than $5 in upgrades and its hockey team plays there and it also attracts other non-school events. LeLacheur Park was also opened in 1998. It remained in city hands for over 20 years before being sold for $1M to UMass-Lowell. The loss of the main tenant minor league teams for these venues necessitated both their sales. Do you think Lowell, Springfield and Worcester are better off with minor league sized facilities owned by a State Entity or the city? |
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Post by longsuffering on Jul 28, 2022 15:10:25 GMT -5
The city of Lowell is fortunate that the UMass-Lowell campus surrounds these venues and the school was willing to take on ownership and operation. Tsongas Arena opened in January 1998 and was sold just a bit over a decade later for $1 to UMass-Lowell. The university has spent more than $5 in upgrades and its hockey team plays there and it also attracts other non-school events. LeLacheur Park was also opened in 1998. It remained in city hands for over 20 years before being sold for $1M to UMass-Lowell. The loss of the main tenant minor league teams for these venues necessitated both their sales. Do you think Lowell, Springfield and Worcester are better off with minor league sized facilities owned by a State Entity or the city? Could Worcester pull a "Trojan Horse" maneuver by getting the stadium built with city guarantees to secure the franchise, then later offload the obligations to a State entity like they did with the city owned airport being offloaded onto the Mass. Port Authority? |
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Post by rf1 on Jul 28, 2022 16:05:14 GMT -5
Providence followed the same path as Springfield and Lowell with its arena. The Providence Civic Center was built by the city in 1972. It however operated with deficits and needed a major overhaul in the early 2000's. The city could no longer afford it and shopped it around but had no private takers. It was then bailed out by the State of RI in 2005 which "gifted" the city some $28.5M to purchase its aging arena which was originally constructed for $13M. The state then spent about $80M to renovate it. It still operates at a loss and further requires continuing infrastructure investment as an $8M contract was just awarded to Dimeo for a new roof. Dunkin Donuts which has had the arena naming rights for 20 years is not even interested in renewing them. A new corporate sponsored name is set to go into effect by September. I myself happened to be walking through the DDC and also state owned interconnected RI Convention Center just a few weeks ago and encountered a staff group making preparations taking an inventory of all name signage right down to that displayed on trash receptacles.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Jul 28, 2022 16:18:07 GMT -5
What exactly do they have to do to it to make it meet NCAA Division 1 standards? If there were minor league baseball games there in 2019, can't imagine what they need to spend 3 million on. You don't need as many stands for a college baseball game in the freezing New England spring cold as a pro game in nice weather. Maybe artificial turf rather than grass? The outfield is next to the bank of the Merrimack River. Maybe drainage issues in the spring when the river is running high. |
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Post by longsuffering on Jul 28, 2022 16:51:42 GMT -5
What exactly do they have to do to it to make it meet NCAA Division 1 standards? If there were minor league baseball games there in 2019, can't imagine what they need to spend 3 million on. You don't need as many stands for a college baseball game in the freezing New England spring cold as a pro game in nice weather. Maybe artificial turf rather than grass? The outfield is next to the bank of the Merrimack River. Maybe drainage issues in the spring when the river is running high. Another stadium on a flood plain. |
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Post by bfoley82 on Jul 30, 2022 1:11:13 GMT -5
Maybe artificial turf rather than grass? The outfield is next to the bank of the Merrimack River. Maybe drainage issues in the spring when the river is running high. Another stadium on a flood plain. I think there is a 60-70 foot drop to the water there... |
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Post by bfoley82 on Jul 30, 2022 1:12:29 GMT -5
The city of Springfield off loaded it's Civic Center to the State, Lowell has sold two facilities. Worcester is hanging in there with two city owned minor league venues. Congratulations...I think. The city of Lowell is fortunate that the UMass-Lowell campus surrounds these venues and the school was willing to take on ownership and operation. Tsongas Arena opened in January 1998 and was sold just a bit over a decade later for $1 to UMass-Lowell. The university has spent more than $5 in upgrades and its hockey team plays there and it also attracts other non-school events. LeLacheur Park was also opened in 1998. It remained in city hands for over 20 years before being sold for $1M to UMass-Lowell. The loss of the main tenant minor league teams for these venues necessitated both their sales. Lowell had the AHL team when the building was sold to the school. The school jacked up the rental fee for the building on the AHL team forcing them to leave and restricting the open dates |
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Post by gks on Jul 30, 2022 9:12:13 GMT -5
LeLacheur is a great facility. Hosted the MA state baseball finals for many years. In a perfect world Red Sox would move one of the A teams back there but I think that's a pipe dream. UMass Lowell now has the best college baseball field in the Northeast.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Jul 30, 2022 10:42:37 GMT -5
Another stadium on a flood plain. I think there is a 60-70 foot drop to the water there... From Google Streetview, the outfield in Nov 2020 was about 10-15 above the flow of the Merrimack River. And talk about decrepit bridges. |
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Post by bfoley82 on Jul 30, 2022 11:59:56 GMT -5
LeLacheur is a great facility. Hosted the MA state baseball finals for many years. In a perfect world Red Sox would move one of the A teams back there but I think that's a pipe dream. UMass Lowell now has the best college baseball field in the Northeast. UConn has the best field in the Northeast. The Lowell facility is starting to fall apart. |
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Post by bfoley82 on Jul 30, 2022 12:00:18 GMT -5
I think there is a 60-70 foot drop to the water there... From Google Streetview, the outfield in Nov 2020 was about 10-15 above the flow of the Merrimack River. And talk about decrepit bridges. I must had been thinking of the other bridge to that side on University Ave goo.gl/maps/rKX7D3UnwpNNXFA66 |
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Jul 30, 2022 12:33:34 GMT -5
From Google Streetview, the outfield in Nov 2020 was about 10-15 above the flow of the Merrimack River. And talk about decrepit bridges. I must had been thinking of the other bridge to that side on University Ave goo.gl/maps/rKX7D3UnwpNNXFA66Colleges, teams, players, arenas, stadiums, ballparks, and now bridges: you are quite the renaissance man when it comes to factual errors, misinformation, and annoying opinions!!! |
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Post by timholycross on Jul 30, 2022 17:08:37 GMT -5
What exactly do they have to do to it to make it meet NCAA Division 1 standards? If there were minor league baseball games there in 2019, can't imagine what they need to spend 3 million on. You don't need as many stands for a college baseball game in the freezing New England spring cold as a pro game in nice weather. Maybe artificial turf rather than grass? The outfield is next to the bank of the Merrimack River. Maybe drainage issues in the spring when the river is running high. I'm sure from the descriptions in various news articles/websites and Foley's personal thoughts, there's plenty there that needs a-fixin. Just can't figure out what the NCAA rules call for that LaLacheur is lacking. Phony turf is not a requirement, that's for sure. |
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Jul 30, 2022 17:38:38 GMT -5
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Post by rf1 on Jul 30, 2022 18:19:16 GMT -5
LeLacheur Park is a nice stadium. Its brick facade really fits in well with the surrounding mills. Lowell, unlike some other New England cities, did a really nice job with both its baseball park and arena as their designs are just the right scale and very much blend in.  |
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Post by bfoley82 on Jul 30, 2022 22:49:20 GMT -5
Colleges, teams, players, arenas, stadiums, ballparks, and now bridges: you are quite the renaissance man when it comes to factual errors, misinformation, and annoying opinions!!! Those two bridges are 1/2 mile or so apart....with how many colleges I visit and facilities, it is hard to keep every bridge/stadium/etc in line. I do know HC and Harvard have the two worst football stadiums to work at. |
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