Camarillo Holds Off Baseball Approval

Plans to build a minor league baseball stadium in Camarillo stalled Wednesday night when the Camarillo City Council balked at voting to build a $750,000 facility at Freedom Park.

The council members, who voted 4 to 1 against the proposal, cited a lack of information for their decision.

Said Council member F. B. Esty: “All we have is words. We’re not even sure where the stadium is going. I have never dealt with anything as superficial as this proposition.”

Another council member, Sandi Bush, said: “There are a lot of things dangling. I can’t support it at this time.”

Stadium promoter Ken McMullen had an option to buy the Lodi Crushers, a Class A team in the California League. After the council vote, McMullen said he will not ask Michelle Sprague, owner of the Crushers, for an extension on his option.

Former major league players McMullen, Jim Colburn and retired mortician Jim Biby, had planned to move the Lodi team to Ventura County for the 1986 season if they were assured by May 1 that an existing field would be upgraded or a new one constructed to seat at least 3,000 spectators.

McMullen, who played with the Los Angeles Dodgers and California Angels in a 14-year career, had said it would cost between $500,000 and $750,000 to install adequate lighting and build a stadium.

On Monday, the board of directors of the Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District approved a plan to construct a stadium, possibly at Freedom Park in Camarillo. Under the plan, the board will pay a maximum of $250,000, said Eldred Lokker, the district’s general manager.

The city of Oxnard and the Ventura County Community College District also are interested in having the franchise move to the area. Oxnard officials will discuss the matter April 30.

McMullen and his partners have not obtained a minor league player development contract with a major league team. They had hoped to sign a contract with the Dodgers or Angels.

If the team moves to Ventura County, it will be the first minor league franchise to play in Southern California in 18 years.

The Lodi franchise became available when the former owner’s player development contract with the Chicago Cubs was not renewed after last season. The owner did not sign with another major league team, so the Lodi franchise is not operating this season.