Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | June 10, 2019 | Worcester Business Journal 15 A R C H I T E C T U R E & C O N S T R U C T I O N F O C U S Window of Opportunity? We Can Make Everything Clear. Commercial real estate acquisition and development can be complicated. It takes a certain vision to see all the possibilities, and to anticipate any quandaries. At Fletcher Tilton, our experience and expertise provide the clarity you need so you'll be ready when that next window of opportunity opens up. Call Mark Donahue 508.459.8029 or Todd Brodeur 508.459.8038. Real Knowledge in Real Estate FletcherTilton.com WO RC E ST E R | F R A M I N G H A M | B OSTO N | C A P E CO D COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE | ACQUISITION SALE | FINANCING | LEASING | PERMITTING ZONING | CONDOMINIUMS Las Vegas Aviators Las Vegas Ballpark 2019 $150 million Buffalo Bisons Sahlen Field 1988 $124 million Memphis Redbirds AutoZone Park 2000 $122 million Worcester Red Sox Polar Park 2021 $101 million Columbus Clippers Huntington Park 2009 $85 million Nashville Sounds First Tennessee Park 2015 $82 million El Paso Chiahuahuas Southwest University Park 2014 $79 million Gwinnett Stripers Coolray Field 2009 $77 million Sacramento River Cats Raley Field 2000 $70 million Reno Aces Greater Nevada Field 2009 $67 million Fresno Grizzlies Chukchansi Park 2002 $66 million Lehigh Valley IronPigs Coca-Cola Park 2008 $61 million Charlotte Knights BB&T Ballpark 2014 $59 million Toledo Mud Hens Fifth Third Field 2002 $58 million Rochester Red Wings Frontier Field 1996 $55 million Oklahoma City Dodgers Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark 1998 $54 million Scranton/Wilkes- Barre RailRiders PNC Field 2013* $48 million Syracuse Mets NBT Bank Stadium 1997 $45 million Omaha Storm Chasers Werner Park 2011 $42 million Louisville Bats Louisville Slugger Field 2000 $42 million Salt Lake Bees Smith's Ballpark 1994 $40 million Round Rock Express Dell Diamond 2000 $38 million Tacoma Rainiers Cheney Stadium 2011* $35 million Albuquerque Isotopes Isotopes Park 2003 $35 million New Orleans Baby Cakes Airline on Shrine 1997 $34 million Indianapolis Indians Victory Field 1996 $30 million Norfolk Tides Harbor Park 1993 $29 million Pawtucket Red Sox McCoy Stadium 1999* $28 million Scranton/Wilkes- Barre RailRiders PNC Field 1989 $28 million Durham Bulls Durham Bulls Athletic Park 1995 $27 million Iowa Cubs Principal Park 1992 $22 million Pawtucket Red Sox McCoy Stadium 1946 $21 million San Antonio Missions Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium 1994 $18 million Tacoma Rainiers Cheney Stadium 1960 $8 million Year Cost, in Team Stadium open 2019 dollars *Major renovation to existing park Note: Inflation-adjusted numbers are rounded to nearest million. Sources: Minor League Baseball, respective teams, news reports; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (inflation adjustment) Two lingering issues could cause de- lays and budgetary headaches: contami- nation and a culvert under the site. e contract between the city and the team acknowledges the site's industrial past but says significant clean-up has al- ready taken place. Conditions today are manageable, according to the agreement. e project is avoiding the culvert un- der the site due to its time and cost, but if the project is forced to address that issue, it will impact the timeline. e stadium property has topograph- ical considerations, with a slope of as much as roughly 18 feet from Madison Street. Worcester's winters could also pose challenges to keeping pace. "ose can be impediments to progress, there's no question about it," Crockett said. Still, Crockett praised the work of Russell Adams, the assistant commis- sioner of Worcester's Department of Public Works & Parks, and said the city's leadership on the project is key, particu- larly on such a complicated project. "ere are a lot of good alignments for the success of this project," she said. Polar Park would be the fourth most expensive minor league park ever built, adjusting for inflation. A look at ballparks in Minor League Baseball's top-level International League and Pacific Coast League: Ballpark construction W

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