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Council appears wary of baseball stadium proposal

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Contributed by: Joseph Kirchmer/YourHub.com on 3/12/2008

Castle Rock town council members said other priorities may take precedence before deciding whether to go to the voters for a sales tax increase that would fund the construction of a minor league baseball stadium.

The town has been working with the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball (AAIPB) on the prospect of bringing a minor league baseball team to Castle Rock. The AAIPB is a two-year old league that is not affiliated with Major League Baseball.

The town would need to come up with approximately $22.5 million to build the 4,000-seat stadium, which would most likely need to be raised through a .025 sales tax, according to Town Manager Mark Stevens.

The sales tax would need to be approved by voters.

During a presentation given March 4 to town council by Parks and Recreation Director Mark Hanna, several councilors questioned whether the timing is right to build a stadium, given the current economic climate.

Councilman Ed Rusch said rising water costs, an overcrowded recreation center and future road projects should all be taken into consideration before going to voters.

"I have some serious concerns about moving forward with this right now, considering everything else we have going right now," Rusch said.

Those sentiments were largely echoed by Councilman Ryan Reilly.

"This is a high profile project that's probably more interesting to people than a road or another rec center or, God knows, water," he said.

Ultimately, council members elected to conduct a survey of residents asking whether construction of a baseball stadium should take priority over other pressing concerns.

"I would feel a lot more comfortable in making a decision if we had public input on this," said Mayor Randy Reed.

A study conducted by Barrett Sports Group concluded that Castle Rock could support a baseball team, according to Hanna. The study pointed to the town's growing population, above-average income level and family friendly environment as positive factors, he said.

"It's a realistic opportunity for Castle Rock," he said.

The report, however, also listed some negative factors in bringing in a minor league team, which included a small corporate base for advertising and sponsorship partnerships, a smaller-than-normal population compared to other towns with similar teams and an already saturated sports market in the Denver metro area, Hanna said.

The stadium also would be used for other events, including concerts, carnivals, camps and other sporting events, he said. Tickets for baseball games would cost about $5.

Officials with AAIPB and the City of Brighton attempted to build a baseball stadium in Brighton last year, but voters overwhelmingly voted that measure down. Officials in Brighton are currently looking at financing the cost of a stadium through the private sector, Hanna said.

If voters did approve a stadium, it would become the second minor league team in the county. The Parker Xpress began play in the Mountain Collegiate Baseball League last year, playing its games at the new Double Angel Ballpark.

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