Fayetteville NC makes an official pitch for a Minor League ballpark

City officials in Fayetteville NC have announced that they want to build a ballpark to house an A or AA baseball team.
The ballpark should be part of a mixed use development in a rather criminal area near downtown and Fayetteville State University.

Fayetteville is a large market (200,439 inhabitants in 2014) and has a track record of supporting baseball in recent years. The Fayetteville SwampDogs (summer collegiate; Coastal Plain League) are a very popular team overthere.

Fayetteville used to be home to several minor league teams through the decades. The oldest team dates back to 1909 the most recent was the Cape Fear Crocs. The Crocs are proof that Fayetteville isn’t that supportive at all when it comes to baseball. The Crocs were quite a contender in their four years of existence they reached the play offs three times. But the lack of fans passing the turnstiles made them move to Lakewood where they became the BlueClaws.

Perhaps the most famous Minor League team in Fayetteville was the Generals. The team also played a part in the the movie Bull Durham.

Anyhow, it will take a while before the groundbreaking of the ballpark can begin. First the city will have to make detailed plans. Then the city counsil has to vote for the plan, the cost and everything else involved. And a team that wants to play in Fayetteville may be handy too. But in my previous article about this subject, the Wilmington BlueRocks were mentioned to move to Fayetteville.

It all remains to be seen. First hurdle will be the city council. And since Fayetteville is located in a rather conservative state, the city council will probably not be a big fan of a publicly funded stadium. But perhaps Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham can serve as an example of how a ballpark can attract private investment. The city built DBAP, but Capitol Broadcasting — the Bulls’ owner — invested in the area surrounding the ballpark, and so did other private firms.

To be continued….