February 15, 2012

Ottawa to invest millions in stadium improvements

Staff at the City of Ottawa are recommending that Ottawa Stadium be leased to Beacon Sports Capital Partners, which proposes to spend $5.5 million on capital improvements and bring in a AA baseball team.

The city announced Thursday that a staff report will be released today and considered by the Finance and Economic Development Committee Feb. 16. Full council is scheduled to consider the proposal Feb. 22.

Beacon Sports is proposing to invest about $2 million into the facility for “player development improvements” and to lease a new scoreboard for $1 million.

The proposal was made in response to a request for offers to lease the stadium, issued Nov. 15, that closed Dec. 12.

“In total, the City will invest $5.7 (million) in capital cost and Beacon Sports will invest $5,500,000 so that baseball can begin at the Stadium in 2013,” the city stated in a press release.

Before the spring of 2013, the city would need to invest about $2.7 million for “deferred lifecycle improvements” and an additional $3 million to improvements that would enable it to meet the standards for minor league baseball.

DCN DIGITAL MEDIA

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