Downtown baseball

#1

fryeguy93

Rufus X. Sarsaparilli
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#1
Rumors flying around about new stadium near Old City (and my office) as Randy Boyd has bought a substantial amount of property off Jackson Ave.

Randy Boyd purchases Knox Rail Salvage property for $6 million

To make the endeavor even more profitable, it would be nice to see Boyd and the Smokies approach UT.

There is actually fairly little overlap between college and minor league seasons.

I wonder if UTAD has invested too much money in LNS to consider such a move in the near future.

Could LNS site and stadium be repurposed like indoor track, intramural fields, etc.

I work off Central Avenue very close to the Old City and the thought of a baseball stadium that close interests me greatly.
 
#3
#3
personally not a huge fan of college sports being played off campus. Not saying it wouldn't be a great idea that could be mutually beneficial to both sides however I think LNS is where they should be playing...
 
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#4
#4
personally not a huge fan of college sports being played off campus. Not saying it wouldn't be a great idea that could be mutually beneficial to both sides however I think LNS is where they should be playing...

Yes sir OT. I agree and wish UT could find a way to make the kind of commitment to baseball that Alabama did. If we ever expect to rise in the SEC and compete in the NCAA, our facilities will need a 50M improvement. We can talk all around it and explain away the deficiencies but in the end, if you build it, they will come...players, fans, coaches, $.
 
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#5
#5
well the Smokies are booked til the mid '20s in Kodak, so there's that.

And Boyd buys all kinds of properties. This isn't the first time he's bought property and this rumor pops up.
 
#6
#6
I would love to have MiLB baseball in downtown Knoxville again, but I think the purchase of this property probably has more to do with the revitalization going on in the down town area in general and specifically the two or three block area where the Salvage yard is located. The entire area past the bus station is being bought up and renewed.
 
#7
#7
I wonder if Mr Boyd is thinking of moving the JC Cardinals to Kodak and Smokies to Knoxville.

I believe long term in this area we'll see a baseball stadium and new arena/coliseum to replace the terrible Civic Coliseum. In no way do I think the Smokies in Sevier County is a long-term arrangement.

Even if the Vols did not play at the stadium, they likely could use the stadium- if available, for post season NCAA bids.

I like Smokies stadium with open concourse and parking but the bare concrete just does not feel old-school baseball to me.

I thought the Lookouts Stadium downtown Chattanooga would have been nicer and was underwhelmed as I like Smokies Stadium better.

I miss Bill Meyer and Engle Stadiums.

I think you can tinker with LNS but short of tearing down the entire upper decks and starting over, I don't think it will ever be a great stadium. No grandstand roof. No open concourse. Small outfields. Poor location at backwater of campus.

I think Mr Boyd knows that his other properties in the area will increase exponentially in value with the new stadium. I don't see this huge lot as a housing development. there's a huge condo development being built between Depot and Magnolia and I believe the bus station site is targeted for housing as well. (I'm looking out my office window at the bus station right now)

I can walk to 6 different breweries from my office right now - and have done so proudly in recent months. I eat regularly at Sweet P's, Balter, Jig & Reel, Barley's and Curious Dog.

I believe even if they're not winning more, that attendance at UT games would be higher at a new ballpark in this area. The AA stadium standards for new stadiums I believe exceed 7000. I would think the ownership would like a stadium bigger than their current facility at 6,412. I would expect to see 7,500 with expansion possibilities or berm type seats up to 10,000.

I do feel the Southern League is the best minor league in baseball. The Cubs affiliation (as much as I hate the Cubs) has been a boon for the organization
 
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#8
#8
Boyd has already sank a ton of money into the stadium in JC, so I don't think there is any thoughts of that.

From what I have heard, he is interested in trying to purchase the Elizabethton Twins affiliation and possibly moving them to the Smokies current location. Elizabethton wants to keep them and apparently Boone, NC is also in on them trying to get them to move there as well.

They are in a contract with the city here to stay until I believe its 2025, but I would guess the money to pay for the buyout is nothing to him.

I personally don't think its a good move as with the current location you draw from 5 counties easily, moving them to downtown takes that down to 2 and a loss of tourists dropping off the interstate.

FWIW Boyd has already had conversations with the tourism group here in Sevier County about possibly moving the team..
 
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#9
#9
I would love to have MiLB baseball in downtown Knoxville again, but I think the purchase of this property probably has more to do with the revitalization going on in the down town area in general and specifically the two or three block area where the Salvage yard is located. The entire area past the bus station is being bought up and renewed.

Here is the full statement from the county (Sevier):

“We take Randy Boyd at his word, that he does not have any definite plans for the Knoxville Rail Salvage property. He has stated publicly when he purchased the Tennessee Smokies that he intended to fulfill the lease in Sevierville and Sevier County with the AA Tennessee Smokies. However, several weeks ago Mr. Boyd approached us concerning the possibility of moving the Smokies out of Sevierville and Sevier County. As we stated to Mr. Boyd, we expect him to live up to the terms of the lease which expires at the end of the 2025 season.”
 
#10
#10
He can live up to the terms of the lease but the Smokies can still play downtown.

He can easily move the other team he owns there.

I don't think any move would happen for 4 years anyway. Getting him even closer to 2025.

An Appalachian League team would do well in Kodak.

Perhaps he builds the stadium and it would be used by UT and other events until 2025 when the Smokies move.
 
#11
#11
An Appalachian League team would do well in Kodak.

IMO I don't think it would, to the hardcore baseball fan it would be okay but I don't think you'd get much interest in the tourists to come watch high school aged kids with the occasional prospect play ball.

I love baseball and would love to have an APPY league team in the area, but that would add a long trip onto the APP schedule which they have always kind of been against.

Whatever happens will happen, but he may wind up shooting himself in the foot with the move.
 
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#12
#12
I read elsewhere the lease agreement calls for the Smokies to pay the remainder of the bonds if they left early.

Sevierville/Sevier Co original bonds were over 19million in 2000 and as of today the remaining debt is $10million.

We are likely in the portion of the bonds where the principle is now reducing a an increasingly accelerated rate. In 3-4 years, the remaining principle would be far less.


If Sevier knows they are going to lose the Smokies - I think it is inevitable, then their best bet would be not to burn bridges. The closest App League team is Greeneville and I actually think spreading the footprint slightly would help the teams that stay in their current cities by. Sevierville could get a replacement league if they play nice, or if they play hardball they end up with nothing.
 
#13
#13
Here is the full statement from the county (Sevier):

“We take Randy Boyd at his word, that he does not have any definite plans for the Knoxville Rail Salvage property. He has stated publicly when he purchased the Tennessee Smokies that he intended to fulfill the lease in Sevierville and Sevier County with the AA Tennessee Smokies. However, several weeks ago Mr. Boyd approached us concerning the possibility of moving the Smokies out of Sevierville and Sevier County. As we stated to Mr. Boyd, we expect him to live up to the terms of the lease which expires at the end of the 2025 season.”

Welp. That is interesting.

When the Smokies left Knoxville, they were last in attendance, drawing less than 2000/game. They are currently tied (with Pensacola) for second at over 4000/ game behind only Birmingham at 6000+.

Maybe the thought is that with so many living downtown it might be better now. We'll see.
 
#14
#14
Welp. That is interesting.

When the Smokies left Knoxville, they were last in attendance, drawing less than 2000/game. They are currently tied (with Pensacola) for second at over 4000/ game behind only Birmingham at 6000+.

Maybe the thought is that with so many living downtown it might be better now. We'll see.

Problem with Bill Meyer was the lack of internet access and a dark neighborhood even prior to when the Old City got rolling the first time.

I think in this location, this stadium would draw even more. Kodak is not all that close to the touristy hotels in Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg as the lion's share of fans are still locals.

A well lit area with lots of things to do outside of the stadium will bring out the people-especially on weekends.
 
#15
#15
Are you guys not considering that that area in the old city is a borderline dumpster fire. Who wants to go down there and get harrassed by the Karm army? The Kodak stadium is very nice. If you want to move them back to K-town put the stadium off Pellissippi Parkway somewhere.
 
#16
#16
Are you guys not considering that that area in the old city is a borderline dumpster fire. Who wants to go down there and get harrassed by the Karm army? The Kodak stadium is very nice. If you want to move them back to K-town put the stadium off Pellissippi Parkway somewhere.

when I started this job on Central Ave. I had the same opinion of the neighborhood.

However, I have walked around at lunch and after work and love the area now. Only the last few weeks with these hot afternoons has the crazies come out and those folks really only get a few blocks from KARM and the rest of the homeless industrial complex. (see the hundreds sitting on Broadway sidewalks) After all, these folks aren't going to walk far- that's too much like work.

This place is being developed like crazy right now. The bus station demolition will reduce the vagrancy problem even more. All the new high dollar condos and apartments, the hipster-cool 4th And Gill neighborhood. Even the western part of East Magnolia is being targeted for substantial gentrification.

I think not only is baseball coming but expect a new arena in the area as well. There is actually a lot of parking for a "downtown" type area with all the parking available under I40 and JWP

Lots of new breweries, clubs and music venues.

Kodak and Turkey Creek is just too much uninteresting, cookie-cutter sameness. Downtown North is much more interesting.

In 6 months, only 1 beggar has approached me and 1 prostitute. Considering how often I'm walking around, that's quite good.
 
#17
#17
Lots of news on this in Knoxville this past week. It will be a few years but the guy wants to bring the team back to K-Town! All for it!
 
#18
#18
the Tennessee river runs thru Knoxville. Put a stadium on the river. Use the south knoxville bridge to get to the stadium. Easy access, right downtown, awesome view to watch a ball game. Home runs go into river. Build that area up with shops, bike trails and a walking bridge back to down town where the women's basketball hall of fame is. I brought this idea up 20 years ago at a zoning meeting before the team left for Kodak. It went on deaf ears. Our leaders in knoxville have zero vision. Instead, they built a almost useless convention centre that is costing us taxes payers a fortune to up keep with very little return. My two cents.
 
#19
#19
Are you guys not considering that that area in the old city is a borderline dumpster fire. Who wants to go down there and get harrassed by the Karm army? The Kodak stadium is very nice. If you want to move them back to K-town put the stadium off Pellissippi Parkway somewhere.

Clearly someone hasn't visited downtown in a decade.
 
#20
#20
I went downtown just last week and was walking across gay street and a group of 4 or 5 people were sitting in a circle dumping the tobacco out of used cigarette butts into a pile on the sidewalk while one lady with rolling papers was rolling it up.
 

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