White Sox minor league thread

[yankeebiscuitfan]

The Birmingham Barons (AA affiliation of the Chicago White Sox) will get a new stadium.

The groundbreaking for a new $64-million Birmingham Barons (Class AA; Southern League) ballpark has been set for Feb. 2, according to Mayor William Bell.

The city is ready to move on construction of the ballpark now that financing is in place. The new ballpark, located near Railroad Park in downtown Birmingham, could be ready in time for the 2013 season under current plans.

The whole area where the ballpark will be located will get an upgrade. The city of Birmingham is working hard on deals with developers for an entertainment/residential district next to a new downtown ballpark.

The Parkside District, comprising entertainment, retail and office space, was envisioned by Mayor William Bell and other city officials as being a key part of the $64-million ballpark project; without private investment to leverage the public money raised by a local hotel tax, it's possible Bell and other council members would have dropped their support.

"That will encompass restaurants and shops in a pedestrian-oriented retail experience for the visitors to that area," Bell told the Birmingham News. "It will be the driving force for redevelopment in that entire area along with the ballpark and all of this piggy-backing on the Railroad Park and the positive response from the public on that....

When the city of Montgomery built Riverwalk Stadium, they upgraded the neighbourhood also. So far this has been a big success. Downtown Montgomery was worn down, but the new ballpark gave the area a new economic impulse.

[yankeebiscuitfan]

I found this article on Ballpark Digest. The Charlotte Knights are trying to get back to Charlotte. Now they are located in Fort Mill, South Carolina, just across the border of North Carolina. They are trying to persuade the city of Charlotte to build a public funded stadium for them.

Armed with a study that predicted a tangible economic impact from a new Charlotte Knights (Class AAA; International League) ballpark, the City Council invited team management to pitch for city funding.

The Knights are looking at a $55-million ballpark in uptown Charlotte. Mecklenburg County has already pledged land and $8 million, with some conditions -- like ballpark construction beginning by October.

Charlotte officials were more skeptical of the ballpark proposal, saying they wanted evidence that a ballpark would make a positive economic impact. They received it in the form of a report from UNC-Charlotte professor John Connaughton, who said a new uptown ballpark would create 490 jobs annually (along with a couple-hundred construction jobs) and bring in a business doing between $10 million and $12 million annually. (Right now the team does around $4 million annually at Fort Mill, S.C. ballpark.) Part of that job estimate comes from having 600,000 or so fans making the trek annually to the new ballpark and partaking of expanded services.

After the presentation, city council members invited the Knights to make a pitch for city funding. While it doesn't look like there's much appetite for general-fund expenditures, there are other sources -- like hotel or hospitality taxes -- that could be tapped. Still, if the Knights do end up getting some city money for project, one thing is still clear: the majority of ballpark funding will come from the private sector, not from taxpayers.

[RickD]

I think teams should pay for their own stadiums.

[Baseballnum3er0]

Well, with the Sox farm system I guess a new ballpark may be needed to keep the fans coming...

[yankeebiscuitfan]

Well, with the Sox farm system I guess a new ballpark may be needed to keep the fans coming...

Well, the Knights made a big mistake by moving south of the border and go to Fort Mills. That didn't draw the fans from Charlotte.

[Charlotte Red Sox]

the Knights have been trying to get to Charlotte since I arrived in 07, and it just doesn't seem to be gaining any steam. There attendance would sure pick up though.

I live on the North East side of the Charlotte metro and it's a 45-50 mile trip to the Knights stadium. I've been a couple of times and it's dead down here.

[yankeebiscuitfan]

Post anything regarding the White Sox MiLB players or White Sox MiLB affiliations here.

[DaaBoTownSox]

White Sox designated LHP Eric Stults for assignment.

He was cleared to make room for Jesse Crain's return from the disabled list. Stults allowed two runs over 6 2/3 innings in a spot start and a relief appearance during his brief stay with the big club. There's a good chance he slips through waivers unclaimed.

[yankeebiscuitfan]

The Charlotte Knight's will move to their new uptown stadium in Charlotte NC.

After the Charlotte O's were bought by George Shinn (founder of the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA) in 1987, they moved to Fort Mill SC. In 1993 the team acquired AAA status.

Here's the article on the ground breaking.

[yankeebiscuitfan]

When the new home of the Birmingham Barons (Class AA; Southern League) opens next spring, a planned museum honoring Negro League history won't be open -- though it is fully funded.

The issue: how to program the museum in the face of criticism from Negro Leagues Baseball Museum President Bob Kendrick, who says the world doesn't need two Negro Leagues museums:

"I simply don't know what Birmingham's intent is," Kendrick said. "Certainly in Kansas City, we don't think there's a need for a second Negro Leagues museum. That's like building another National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum. Why? Now, if Birmingham wants to tell its rich black baseball history, that's something we would like to partner with them on."

The original plan for a museum at Rickwood Field would have focused more on Birmingham's baseball history as well the Southern League.

A museum about the history of coloured baseball in Birmingham, would make more sense to me. I bet there is a lot to tell about the Birmingham Black Barons.