Ballpark Problem in Billings

[longhorn_22]

As you mentioned the Mustangs have long been a fixture and extremely successful. And the Royals have a very storied past.

Typical Royal. Can't give the many time state champ Scarlets any credit at all.

Man, don't get me started. Nah, just kidding - gotta give some props to the Scarlets. They always had great teams when I played against them. When did you play for them, Papa? I was a Royal in '83 & '84. And you're right about the Royal/Scarlet game - always huge attendance. My last game against them I think it was pushing 5,000 fans.

There have been many times where they have crammed way more than 4200 people in that place. Always fun to be a part of that.

[1BadBobcat]

As you mentioned the Mustangs have long been a fixture and extremely successful. And the Royals have a very storied past.

Typical Royal. Can't give the many time state champ Scarlets any credit at all.

Man, don't get me started. Nah, just kidding - gotta give some props to the Scarlets. They always had great teams when I played against them. When did you play for them, Papa? I was a Royal in '83 & '84. And you're right about the Royal/Scarlet game - always huge attendance. My last game against them I think it was pushing 5,000 fans.

There have been many time where they have crammed way more than 4200 people in that place. Always fun to be a part of that.

That particular day, they had crammed alot of folks in the stadium. They opened up the foul lines along both sides and had fans sitting on the ground behind the foul lines from where the bleachers ended all the way out to the fences. When I took the field, my jaw just dropped! It was way cool, although playing 3rd base those fans got in my way on a couple of occassions

[longhorn_22]

New article from the Billings Gazette today:

The Cobb Field Steering Committee plans to examine all costs associated with a proposed $15 million downtown ballpark. The committee backed the financial review Tuesday after hearing concerns that the City Council may be reluctant to place a bond issue on the ballot without seriously exploring ways to reduce the cost to taxpayers.

The steering committee, composed of current and past council members, city staff and community volunteers, decided to carefully review cost estimates before a final recommendation is made to the City Council. A bond issue for a new ballpark could go before Billings voters at the November general election.

Ward 1 City Councilman and steering committee member Jim Ronquillo said his constituents aren't enthusiastic about a $15 million bond issue. Also, some members of the City Council are having second thoughts about whether that large of a bond issue would pass, Ronquillo said. He added that some council members are reluctant to endorse a new stadium unless there's a plan to offset the cost to taxpayers with private donations.

"I know there are things that can be cut," from the $15 million price, said Vince Ruegamer, a city councilman and member of the steering committee. Amenities that the committee may consider eliminating from the plan include a concrete walkway circling the stadium's exterior and a shade to be built above the third-base bleachers. Skyboxes, to be marketed to corporate sponsors, may or may not be included in the final plan, committee members said.
"We'll go through this line by line to see if the estimates are appropriate or if there are savings," said steering committee member Shirley McDermott, a former city councilwoman. "We may decide not to cut anything."

The issue of how best to use private donations has been discussed throughout the planning process for the new stadium. Patrick Zohn of Gateway Consulting, who has been helping the city on the project, says private money usually comes from the sale of stadium naming rights and by selling corporate skyboxes. Zohn has recommended that money generated by corporate sponsorships should be set aside in an interest-bearing account to pay for future maintenance and repairs.

The steering committee will meet at 3 p.m. Monday at the city Parks, Recreation and Public Lands office, 390 N. 23rd St. Committee members hope to have met by then with contractors and architects to confirm the cost estimates in a recent study of a new stadium.

Officials from HNTB Architects of Kansas City and Gateway Consultants estimate that a new stadium that complies with the standards of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues can be built for between $13 million and $15 million.

On May 24, the City Parks Board recommended a $14 million price tag for the new stadium. The board recommended adding a community room and skyboxes to the project.

The steering committee will make a presentation to the City Council at its June 19 work session. The council will review the proposal at its regular meeting June 26.

The steering committee agreed to take a closer look at the stadium plans because some members of the City Council have questioned whether voters would approve a $15 million bond issue.

McDermott said it's also time to begin raising private money to help pay for a new ballpark. Private donations, many of them as small as $10 or $20, paid for a significant portion of the downtown skate park, she said.

In 2004, Billings voters narrowly rejected a $17 million bond issue, of which $12.5 million would have been spent on replacing Cobb Field and $4.5 million on building an aquatic center in the Heights. That bond issue failed even though a group formed to support it spent $115,000 on the campaign.

Baseball supporters have been working since then to place a new bond issue before voters. A poll conducted earlier this spring indicated support for replacing Cobb Field.

Baseball supporters say they're proceeding with a sense of urgency because the stadium is deteriorating faster than repairs can be made.

Earlier this spring, a suspended ceiling in a women's restroom collapsed after it was saturated by leaks from the roof. Large sections of bleachers were covered with tarps to cut down on the leaks.

The tarps have since been removed, but Saree Couture, the city's facilities manager, on Tuesday recommended reinstalling the tarps over some bleachers to cut down on leaks.

"I have nightmares about somebody getting hurt during a game," Couture said. "We have to let people know that Cobb Field is over the hill."

Cobb Field is the home of the Billings Mustangs, a rookie-league baseball team affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds, and the Scarlets and Royals American Legion teams. The new Montana State University-Billings baseball team also plays at Cobb Field.

[Billings_Griz]

ANOTHER REASON TO HAVE A STATE SALES TAX!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've umpired there for the past 8 years and I'm here to tell you, the Stadium needs work!!! Without a doubt, Cobb is the top five nicest playing fields in the Dakota's, MT, ID, & WY. I'd say the best, but there could be better.

I can take my family (wife, 3 kids-10, 7 & 2) to a 'stang's game, feed them and have several beers for a $50 bill.

The voters just voted in favor of a 1.5 million $$$ mill to replace the roof at METRA. I can't take my kids to an event there, and do the same things as Cobb, for less than a hundy...I sure hope the voters see the FAMILY value here come November.

Longhorn, does the city own the Mustangs? I though it was owned, primarily, by Mr. Bob Wilson?

Another thing, why not get a corporate company to throw in $5-$10 million for "naming" rights, for say, 30-50 years...FIRST INTERSTATE BANK FIELD has a nice ring to it.

I don't see this thing passing, our property taxes are maxed out the way it is.

[longhorn_22]

The Mustangs and the stadium are owned by the city of Billings. For some reason the people who argue against the building of a new stadium cannot get that through their heads. They seem to put this all on the Reds'organization but it is not their problem. It is the city's. I wish the Reds would pay for it but they won't because they don't own the team.
I agree with you on the sales tax thing and the corporate naming of the field. Hell, the football field for the high schools is getting re-done and it's being named after Wendy's because they are paying for it. Why can't it work for Cobb?

[Billings_Griz]

The Mustangs and the stadium are owned by the city of Billings. For some reason the people who argue against the building of a new stadium cannot get that through their heads. They seem to put this all on the Reds'organization but it is not their problem. It is the city's. I wish the Reds would pay for it but they won't because they don't own the team.
I agree with you on the sales tax thing and the corporate naming of the field. Hell, the football field for the high schools is getting re-done and it's being named after Wendy's because they are paying for it. Why can't it work for Cobb?

Agreed my Bobcat friend.

[longhorn_22]

Little update:
Many people are concerned about the price of the field. This article in the Billings Gazette today sheds a little more light (and hope) on the situation.

Potential gift could pare price of Cobb Field

The City Council is in no hurry to nail down a price tag for a proposed downtown baseball stadium that would replace Cobb Field because a large private donation may help defray the cost.

All signs point to Billings voters being asked to approve a bond issue for a new downtown baseball stadium during the November general election. But because city officials have begun discussions with a major donor, the bond amount may be less than the $12.5 million recommended by the City Parks, Recreation and Cemetery Board and the Cobb Field Steering Committee.

On Monday the council delayed for one month a resolution that would establish the amount of the bond issue so those discussions can continue.

Gene Blackwell, the city's interim director of parks and recreation, said the city has received "serious interest" from a local party who's interested in making a donation to the stadium.
Blackwell wouldn't say who he has been talking to or what kind of a gift is being discussed, but said he may have more information as discussions progress.

Last week several council members said they favored a financing plan that reduces taxpayers' costs with the help of private donations. Selling stadium-naming rights and privately financed luxury skyboxes are two potential ways to raise money to support the stadium.

The decision to delay the resolution took some people by surprise Monday night. During a public comment period, Mary Westwood and Connie Wardell urged the council to set the bond amount so that baseball supporters could get organized and work on passing the bond election. Cobb Field is home to the Billings Mustangs, American Legion baseball and the Montana State University-Billings baseball team.

Initially, Interim City Administrator Tina Volek asked the council for a one-month delay on the resolution to "allow us to review alternative financing."

After a couple of council members made some cryptic comments about the need for the delay, Mayor Ron Tussing attempted to clarify what was going on.

"To people who don't know what we're talking about, recent developments would make it imprudent to approve a bond amount tonight when it's likely that we might need considerably less," Tussing said. Delaying the resolution could end up saving taxpayers money, he said.

"We don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth," Councilman Vince Ruegamer said, noting that the potential gift could be a catalyst for building support for a successful bond issue.

Gary Roller, general manager of the Mustangs, said after the meeting that he wasn't surprised that the council agreed to the one-month delay in issuing the resolution. However, it's important to place the bond issue on the November ballot because Cobb Field is deteriorating, he said. "It probably doesn't hurt to wait 30 days, but I've said all along it needs to be on the November ballot because of the urgency of this issue," Roller said. "The city has said it's not interested in putting any money into the existing facility."

According to a preliminary concept, Cobb Field would be replaced by a stadium capable of seating 3,500 people. The field would likely feature a recessed playing surface and a covered area behind home plate. Athletic Pool, just west of Cobb Field, would also be removed.

[Billings_Griz]

Longhorn, you throwing in 5-6 million?

I played for the Scobey Blues '82-'86, so we're both pushing 40.

[longhorn_22]

Longhorn, you throwing in 5-6 million?

I played for the Scobey Blues '82-'86, so we're both pushing 40.

If I had 5-6 mil I wouldn't hesistate to put it to the field. But, considering how much I pay to go to MSU, it might be a while before I even sniff such thoughts.