BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Minor League Baseball might be coming to Northern Brunswick County.
REV Leisure and the Texas Rangers have reached out to the City of Leland about the potential for bringing knowledgeable sports activities workforce, ballpark, and leisure venue to the realm.
Whereas that is nonetheless preliminary, members of the Rangers group and REV Leisure have already traveled to Brunswick County to tour the realm and meet with potential companions.
Following that go to, neighborhood leaders and personal stakeholders from our space traveled to Arlington, Texas to go to Globe Life Subject, Choctaw Stadium, and the Texas Stay leisure advanced.
In response to City of Leland emails WWAY requested earlier this week, REV Leisure is proposing a smaller model of Arlington be constructed on a 1,400+ acre piece of property alongside Freeway 17 subsequent to Brunswick Forest, which is a part of the deliberate Jackeys Creek improvement.
REV Leisure and the Rangers have been in Leland the week earlier than Christmas to carry data classes with elected leaders and employees from Leland, Brunswick County and surrounding municipalities.
In response to a PowerPoint presentation from the knowledge session, the proposed stadium’s capability is 4,000 with somewhat greater than 1,700 obtainable parking areas. There are 400 extra areas supplied for surrounding combined use improvement.
The location wouldn’t solely host a minor league baseball workforce, however numerous occasions and live shows like Arlington, which has bars, eating places, and music at their venue.
In response to the emails from city officers, the baseball stadium is proposed to be a publicly owned facility that’s privately operated via a lease settlement. Which means, a countywide municipal bond will possible be required to fund the stadium.
If permitted by Brunswick County Commissioners, the referendum for the bond might be positioned on the November 2023 poll.
REV Leisure’s proposed timeline exhibits, if the bond is permitted, groundbreaking can be held within the Spring of 2024, with opening day March of 2026.
WWAY reached out to the City of Leland, City Council and Brunswick County for remark. The City of Leland emailed the next assertion:
“We’re excited to have curiosity from REV Leisure to work along with each Brunswick County and the City of Leland to develop a world-class improvement idea with sports activities and leisure because the anchor. We stay up for studying extra about their curiosity and growing a possible partnership within the coming months.”
The baseball group will put money into the leisure, eating places, and resort venues adjoining to the stadium, as much as $100 million. The neighborhood may also get the prospect to offer enter on the facilities related to the stadium and would even assist model the workforce, Leland City Supervisor David Hollis wrote in an e mail to employees.
That very same e mail addressed elevated visitors surrounding the stadium. Hollis mentioned that will be mitigated by roadway enhancements as the event is constructed out over time, which would come with interconnections with current roadways in neighborhoods and industrial areas, extra connections to Freeway 17 and Freeway 133, and different enhancements as required from visitors engineering research.
Hollis additionally wrote that this location within the northern finish of the county is most well-liked by the baseball group due to the separation from different related venues and the untapped and rising market all through northern Brunswick County and New Hanover County.
REV Leisure already has a foothold in North Carolina. The corporate manages the Down East Wooden Geese in Kinston and the Hickory Crawdads.
WWAY reached out to REV Leisure concerning the proposed plans. The group supplied the next assertion:
“REV Leisure is thrilled to work along with each Brunswick County and the City of Leland to develop a world-class improvement idea with sports activities and leisure because the anchor. We’re excited to publicly launch the partnership with an announcement within the coming months.”
This isn’t the primary time Minor League Baseball has been mentioned within the Cape Worry. In reality, Wilmington briefly had a minor league workforce.
In 2001, the Los Angeles Dodgers introduced a minor league workforce to Wilmington. The Wilmington Waves have been a low-A workforce that performed their dwelling video games at Brooks Subject on UNCW’s campus. The franchise solely lasted for a yr.
10 years later, one other group tried to strike a deal to construct a baseball stadium in downtown Wilmington. In 2012, the Atlanta Braves and Mandalay Baseball got here to Wilmington to debate a proposal, which included a taxpayer-funded stadium for a Braves MiLB workforce.
Builders then labored on a personal financing plan, which included a suggestion from Trask Land Firm to assist finance the challenge, however it by no means got here to fruition. The stadium would have been constructed alongside the Cape Worry River the place Stay Oak Pavilion is now situated.
As for this newest proposal, REV Leisure, Brunswick County, and the City of Leland are planning a information convention for late February or early March to share extra particulars on the challenge.
It is a growing story. We are going to proceed to maintain you up to date.
