Lancaster Ball Park Plan Makes It to 1st Base

The city of Lancaster took a step toward bringing baseball to the desert Wednesday when the city Parks, Recreation and Arts Commission voted in favor of building a city-operated minor league baseball stadium.

The four-member commission voted to recommend that the City Council adopt the proposal after hearing testimony at a public hearing from baseball fans and from former major league baseball player Doug DeCinces, who brought the idea to the city in April. DeCinces is negotiating with several California minor league teams interested in moving to Lancaster.

Commissioners said the council must still decide whether to fund the stadium through the city’s general fund, through bond issues that would require voter approval and cost homeowners about $11 a year, or some combination of the two.

In September, the council decided to seek public comment after some council members said the proposal for a 3,500-seat stadium, which would cost between $3.6 million and $4.7 million to construct on city-donated land and $300,000 a year to operate, was too expensive. The proposed site consists of 20 acres north of Lancaster City Park.

About 20 proponents of the stadium showed up at Wednesday night’s meeting. City officials had worried that the World Series game might keep many fans home. Seven residents spoke in favor of bringing a minor league team to Lancaster, saying it would improve the city’s quality of life, provide young people with a wholesome diversion and increase the city’s visibility statewide.

DeCinces told the council that several minor league teams are interested in moving to Lancaster but said they needed an indication from the city that it was serious about building a stadium.

A consultant’s report in July concluded that the principal issue concerning the stadium would be the city’s success in convincing a team to relocate to Lancaster. The consultant said its study indicated Lancaster would be able to attract a Class A team and also suggested that Lancaster consider approaching several double-A and triple-A teams known to be interested in changing locations.

Two people spoke against the proposal Wednesday night, saying it would bring noise and congestion and cost the taxpayers too much money. “I don’t see how bringing a stadium here has anything to do with quality of life,” resident Bill Longbottom said. “It’s big business. Why should the taxpayers of Lancaster help subsidize it?”