Itâ€s official: Savannah baseball team moving to Columbia

Columbia team owner Jason Freier, whose Atlanta-based Hardball Capital operates minor league teams in three cities, announced Thursday that his group is moving the Savannah franchise to become the centerpiece of the 165-acre Bull Street development called Columbia Common. […]

The teamâ€s contract to stay in Savannahâ€s aging Grayson Stadium expires Sept. 30, and city officials there have rejected Freierâ€s request to build a new ballpark. Columbia has committed $30 million toward building the ballpark here, with Hardball Capital kicking in the other $7 million.

Hardball Capital also runs teams in Chattanooga, which plays in the Double-A Southern League, and Fort Wayne, Ind., which plays in the Single-A Midwest League.

Click here for today’s statement from the Sand Gnats about leaving Savannah and Grayson.

The study commissioned by the city of Savannah to determine the feasibility of a new stadium at Savannah River Landing turned out to be laughable; in addition to issues I discussed with the study, the financial analysis was also deeply flawed and assumed that all revenues generated by the stadium would be new revenues. The city of Savannah subsequently decided to explore the possibility of a new stadium on the site just west of downtown near the proposed new arena.

The feasibility study dismissed the possibility of renovating Grayson Stadium, but, in a world where old stadiums like Wrigley and Fenway are doing just fine, that seems like a premature conclusion.

So, here’s what I’d like to see happen:

Let’s get serious about renovating historic Grayson Stadium. Maybe that means rebuilding much of the structure within the existing facade. It might mean adding some “luxury” boxes along the third base line. It would certainly mean upgraded clubhouse facilities. And, while we’re at it, why not consider the possibility of the type of event spaces that the Sand Gnats’ owner desires?

This would be an expensive project, but if another minor league baseball team owner knows that we’re serious about preserving, using, and seriously updating Grayson, maybe we’ll get some interest.

By the way, the idea from the flawed study of using Grayson as is for high school and college games and maybe for other events is extremely problematic. Is the city prepared to pick up all maintenance for the field? Can a mix of school teams maintain and run the score board, lights, concessions, etc.?

So let’s pour our hearts — and some of our money — into Grayson.

By the way, I should also add that the new ballpark in Columbia is still just a pile of dirt at the moment, and there doesn’t seem any guarantee that the city’s heavy investment in the Bull Street development will be pay off. I have to assume, however, that the Sand Gnats wouldn’t have made today’s announcement without complete certainty that the field will be ready for next season.

For just this text, check out Prepared To Leave The City, Savannah Sand Gnats Ask For New Baseball Stadium. From that piece:

The team’s complaints include the size of the concession area and the lack of options for technical upgrades.

The team’s owners, Hardball Capital, are reportedly talking with city officials in Columbia, South Carolina.

The subtle threat is that if Savannah doesn’t build a new stadium, they’ll leave.

Local businessman Reed Dulany says that would be a tragedy.

“This is really more, far more than a stadium and far more than baseball,” Dulany says.

The online article also ends with some interesting tidbits about the history of baseball in Savannah.

There are a number of major questions that remain about the new stadium that the Sand Gnats want, including parking and the impact on the street grid already planned as an extension of the Oglethorpe Plan. Click here for another recent post on this subject.

From the Savannah Morning News on Saturday:

“There apparently are numerous factors that contributed to the decision that Iâ€m not privy to,” [Savannah Sand Gnats president John Katz] said. “Obviously, weâ€re disappointed and understand theyâ€re working on rescheduling a date with the band. Unfortunately, we donâ€t have any control over this.” […]

A representative of SavCon said Sam Frankel at POW! Entertainment told him the concert was canceled because the platoon/battalion that Stan Lee met at Hunter Army Airfield in October was deployed, and the entertainment group wanted that platoon to be able to benefit from the concert/charity.

It’s a curious move, and there’s no reason to doubt the reason for cancellation here. But one wonders what ticket sales could have been like for this show.

Savannah is notoriously a walkup town — residents are accustomed to waiting till the day of the show to buy tickets for lots of concerts. And even though this was billed as a military benefit, the ticket prices were pretty high. The amounts aren’t out of line with other O.A.R. shows around the country, but box seating for $50, reserved for $40, and general admission for $35 is pretty pricy around these parts. Even DoD cardholders would have had to pay $25, and gift tickets for active duty military members were $25 too. (I like the band OK, but no way I would have gone for those prices.)

A portion of the net proceeds would apparently have supported various military charities, but what does “net” mean here? After the promoters and band took their cuts, how much would have been left?

As stated elsewhere, O.A.R.’s Facebook page notes that there is a chance of rescheduling, but we’ll see how serious that is. No one has even bothered to update Stan Lee’s POWer Concerts Facebook page with the cancellation info. Ditto for Stan Lee’s Facebook page. The series’ website has just one more event listed for all of 2013.

None of this looks good for O.A.R. fans.