“The back stop is held together by tie-wraps,” said Regina Red Sox representative Al Simpson. “We need something better.”
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The City of Regina has committed to a new home for the Regina Red Sox after voting in favour to enter into a long term lease agreement for Currie Field.
The notice of motion, brought forward by Mayor Sandra Masters and Ward 2 Coun. Bob Hawkins, outlined a minimum $2.5 million cash investment by the city in the Baseball Stadium Project over a period of 10 years, should the project go ahead.
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“This is not a motion about building a baseball field, it’s about creating an opportunity to explore building a baseball field,” Hawkins said.
For now, the city will split the $30,000 cost of a study done by DCG Philanthropic Services Inc. with the Red Sox and Living Sky Sports and Entertainment Inc. (LSSE) looking at the potential for a capital campaign to raise sponsorship and philanthropic funds to support the Baseball Stadium Project.
Al Simpson, CEO of LSSE and representative of the Regina Red Sox spoke to council Wednesday afternoon about the need for a new home for his team.
“There is an infrastructure deficit in the city of Regina,” Simpson said. “For 20 years we have been kicking the can down the road. There’s an opportunity here to not kick the can down the road but to pick the ball up and run with it in a tangible way.”
In 2021, the Red Sox put together a plan for a new stadium in the Yards. A needs assessment was brought to council to determine if the city needed a new baseball facility.
“That needs assessment came back and said: Regina’s baseball stadium does not, in any way, meet the standard of its peer groups in western Canada,” Simpson said.
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The Red Sox undertook a feasibility study which concluded a new stadium was a “transformational catalyst project” and recommended Taylor Field as the primary site for the new facility, or the Yards as a secondary option.
The feasibility study was sent to the catalyst committee where it was turned down.
DCG estimated the Red Sox could potentially raise between $4 million and $8 million for a new baseball field, but Simpson said the team still couldn’t get support from the city.
“People were incredulous,” he told council. “You can get $4 to $8 million for a stadium perhaps, and you don’t want to find out if it’s possible?”
Ward 2 Coun. Bob Hawkins approached Simpson asking if the Red Sox would be interested in taking another shot with council for a new stadium. After subsequent conversations, the team’s board came back saying they would be prepared to go ahead with the stadium if they got a commitment from the city.
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Currie Field currently has a host of issues, including washroom facilities on a septic tank system that can’t keep up with park usage, a right field dimension that does not meet Baseball Canada’s standards and bleachers that require upgrades to meet codes and accessibility needs as well as a single dressing room, causing them to a rent a “shack” for away teams, Simpson said.
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“The back stop is held together by tie-wraps,” he added. “We need something better.”
When asked about completing renovations instead of building a new facility, Simpson argued it would be more financially beneficial to build a new stadium in a central location, rather than re-vamping Currie Field.
Simpson noted the stadium wouldn’t solely be for the Red Sox, which would only use the facility 30 nights of the year out of between 90 to 100 that other clubs and leagues could also use. Adding soccer turf to the project is another possibility that has been discussed.
Last year Currie Field ticket sales reached $23,500 and are projected to exceed that this year. Simpson said other collegiate baseball teams in Canada are seeing between 2,000 to 5,000 people fill their stadiums every game night.
“I’m pretty confident that the 900 to 1,400 (attendees) we’re getting every night will grow with a nice venue,” he added.
Council voted in favour of the motion 8-2 with councillors Dan LeBlanc (Ward 6) and Shanon Zachidniak (Ward 8) voting against.
DCG Philanthropic Services Inc. has 80 days to complete its report which will then be brought to city council.
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