Is Wausau Gonna Play Ball, Er What?
The other day, a WDH front page news article caught my eye — dealt with the Wisconsin Woodchucks and Wausau’s Athletic Park. Gist of the article was that the team’s contract with the city expires after next season, and unless the city agrees to step up to the plate (sorry) to pay for significant updates at the ballpark, the team might face a need to relocate. I’m thinking: Remember when there was a Milwaukee Braves team and Atlanta stole them away? Broke my 13-year-old heart. Still hurts today, Brewers and all.
Bill for proposed updates: $240,000. Question: Is it worth the money?
I think that, potentially, this is a highly charged issue for our local government to tackle. And, I’ll bet you dollars to donuts that the whole thing will ride the bench (!) for months and months, rather than be addressed in the early innings (as in “now”). When it finally does start to heat up (say, October 2009), we’ll be facing the question, “How can changes be made in the park over winter and in time for the 2010 season if needed?” Maybe the team’s owner and the city will agree to a phased upgrade across two or three years. Maybe it will be too late.
We may have the “lower taxes” contingent saying, “Where’s the money supposed to come from? The private sector should take care of this.” Woodchucks fans will cite tradition and quality of life. City boosters will say the team and park are part of Wausau’s “brand” and claim positive impact on the local economy. Certainly, many will say that if the Woodchucks leave, the park will only be used by high school teams and will eventually crumble into the dust — probably doomed to be bulldozed and the property gone to seed, or turned into a nice cement manufacturing facility or low-income housing development.
Right now, we’re all settling in for another great summer, and many of us will catch games at Athletic Park. If you’re at the park, or are just following the team on the sports page, where do you see this issue going? What side of the plate are you batting from? Should Wausau find a cool quarter million to upgrade the park? Is that just money being disproportionately shelled out for the “minority” of our citizens who actually go to the games? Should we spend $30-40K for consultants to figure it out for us?
For my part, as an ongoing Citizen Wausau series, I’m going to dig deeper into this story, follow developments and let you know what I find out.
My opinion: Wausau should play ball with the ‘Chucks, and the ‘Chucks should avoid playing hardball with Wausau. I’m also thinking, how about a nice retractable roof and say “goodbye” to rainouts?
Pack One said:
I used to go to Timber’s games with my father. Every kid should have that experience.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:59 pm #
Tom Neal said:
Smell the grass, smell the oiled leather of your glove, toss the ball around, down a dog with mustard, watch the pure poetry of baseball (one of the most perfect sports ever conceived). The Milw. Braves: Eddie Matthews, Warren Spahn, Lou Burdette, Hank Aaron … summer in beer town when I was a kid. I have to feel sorry for any town that doesn’t have that sort of thing going on for them. Wausau should be careful about how too careful it might be.
June 6th, 2008 at 8:49 am #
Dino Corvino said:
I think this is another example of the city lacking any sort of coherent plan. They clearly have some sort of aversion to planning, instead it seems they are accepting whatever vision comes along. Trusting that the dudes who know and can pay for big building, that they have a vision.
I have been overtly critical of our Mayor for quiet leadership, and this right here, is a chance for Jim Tipple to create a lasting legacy that makes everyone happy. A warm fuzzy if you will.
YEah, downtown will be he and Lindas legacy. I get that. But at the end of the day, am I warmed by the Dudley building, or a street instead of a pedestrian mall. Not so much.
But, if I get a girlfriend, and we go sit and watch a Chucks game, and eat hot dogs and hold hands, and fall in love at the game. Then that is something that everyone can understand.
This is an investment in infrastructure. We want the park, and we want the chucks. Without the changes, the chucks leave, and chance are no one comes back.
So make the changes.
(On a side note I find it hilarious when people complain this much about the spending of money. Like the pools, I wonder what it is for. If not to make improvements, then what is it for?)
June 6th, 2008 at 9:49 am #
milwgal said:
I grew up with the Brewers in Milwaukee, and I strongly feel the Woodchucks need to stay in Wausau. The team adds to the appeal of the town as a whole. Although Athletic Park has historic value, is this cost estimate just phase one for renovations (with additional updates needed in future years due to the age of the facility)? What would the cost be to build a new facility (possibly get some help in backing from a local company - i.e. Greenheck Athletic Park, etc.)? The new hockey facility is being built near Cedar Creek? Aren’t the Woodchucks as important to Wausau?
I’m guessing that people from surrounding communities are coming to see the games and spending money in and around the Wausau area. Has that been analyzed? If the Woodchucks were to leave, what would be lost?
June 6th, 2008 at 1:10 pm #