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AND GENTLEMEN.[ONSL Community Input Meeting on August 14, 2023.]
GOOD EVENING.I'M THE CITY MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF NEWMAN.
I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING TO THIS PUBLIC INPUT MEETING.
UH, JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS, WE ARE RECORDING THIS TO BE BROADCAST LATER ON OUR CITY THREE TV CHANNEL.
WE WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE@NEWBURNNC.GOV, AND IT IS ALSO BEING BROADCAST ON THE CITY OF NEW BERN FACEBOOK PAGE.
SO THE REASON WE'RE HERE TONIGHT IS FOR A COMMUNITY INPUT, UH, AND A PRESENTATION BY ALEC ARD WITH THE OLD DO STATE LEAGUE.
WE TALK ABOUT HIS PROPOSAL TO LEASE CAPEMAN PARK FOR A SUMMER COLLEGIATE WOODEN BAT BASEBALL LEAGUE.
SO BACK IN LATE SEPTEMBER OF 2022, ALEC REACHED OUT TO MYSELF AND CARRIE WARREN, THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION.
HE, HE WANTED TO LOOK AT EXPANDING HIS LEAGUE AND HE THOUGHT NEWBURN WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO COME.
SO OVER THE, REALLY, THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, HE WOULD GIVE US A CALL OR HE'D COME TO NEWIN AND HE'D LOOK AT A VARIETY OF OUR FACILITIES.
FINALLY, UH, ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO, HE CAME TO ME AND SAID, LOOK, I'M, I'M, I'M INTERESTED IN COMING HERE.
I'D LIKE TO DO A PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN.
SO WE SET A DAY, HE MADE HIS PRESENTATION, UH, LATE JULY OF THIS YEAR, AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE SOME OF THAT PRESENTATION, AND I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE EXPANDED A LITTLE BIT TONIGHT.
AND SO AT THAT MEETING, OUR GOVERNING BOARD ASKED FOR SOME ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM, FROM THE CITIZENS.
AND SO, UM, LET ME GO THROUGH THIS POWERPOINT OF THE, THAT, UH, PUBLIC INFORMATION DIRECT PUT TOGETHER.
SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CAER PARK.
SO IN JUST A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH, WE SAW THE BALL, THE BALLPARK DATES BACK TO 1928, UM, AND SOME OTHER INFORMATION WE SAW THAT, UH, EVIDENTLY THE CITY ACQUIRED THE CAER PARK PROPERTY AT SOME POINT AFTER THE GREAT FIRE OF 1922.
AND THAT INFORMATION CAME FROM THE WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION GUIDE THAT WAS PUBLISHED IN 2013.
ALSO IN OUR RESEARCH WITH WHAT I THOUGHT WAS REALLY INTERESTING, AND I'M GONNA READ THIS TO YOU VERBATIM.
THIS CAME OUT OF THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD DATED JUNE 14TH, 1929.
AND I QUOTE, STUPENDOUS AND WONDERFUL PAGEANT WAS GIVEN IN THE OPEN CAPER PARK AT 8:00 PM UNDER A BLAZE OF HIGH POWERED ELECTRICAL LIGHTS.
IT WAS WITNESSED BY AT LEAST 10,000 PEOPLE.
NOTHING OF THE KIND HAS EVER BEEN SO SUCCESSFULLY STAGED BEFORE NORTH CAROLINA.
AND IT'S DOUBTED IF ANY MORE SUCCESSFUL AFFAIR OF ITS KIND BY LOCAL TALENT HAS BEEN GIVEN IN THE COUNTRY.
THE PAGEANT PORTRAYED NEWBURN AND HISTORIC REVIEW.
SO SINCE REALLY ALMOST A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW, CAFA PARK HAS BEEN RICH IN TRADITION, UH, IT'S BEEN, UH, A GREAT PLACE FOR BASEBALL AND IT'S ALSO BEEN A GREAT PLACE FOR COMMUNITY GATHERINGS OVER THE YEARS, DRAWING A VARIETY OF CROWDS.
I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT TWO OTHER THINGS.
UH, WE RELEASED A SURVEY ON AUGUST 9TH, AND MAINLY THAT'S BEEN ONLINE.
SO WE HAVE HAD OVER 330 PARTICIPANTS TO TAKE THAT SURVEY.
AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE IT, WE'VE GOT PAPER COPIES BACK HERE THAT YOU CAN FILL OUT IF YOU'D LIKE, OR YOU CAN GO ONTO NEWBURN NC.GOV.
THE LINK OF THE SURVEY IS THERE.
IT'S ALSO ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AT, UH, CITY OF NEWBURN NC GOVERNMENT FACEBOOK PAGE.
IT'S ONLY ABOUT FIVE QUESTIONS.
IT TAKES A COUPLE MINUTES, AND WE JUST ASK A VARIETY OF QUESTIONS LIKE, WOULD YOU SUPPORT THE LEAGUE OR NOT? UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WHAT ARE THOSE QUESTIONS? AND SO WE PROVIDED SOME OF THE MAIN THINGS WE'VE SEEN TONIGHT TO ALEC TO HOPEFULLY ADDRESS.
AND AFTER HE DOES HIS PRESENTATION, HE'S GOING TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK ANY OTHER QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
BUT THE BIGGEST THING WE'VE SEEN IS A QUESTION REGARDING PARKING.
AND SO LET ME JUST GET THROUGH THIS.
SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
LOOK, LOOK AT THE ON STREET PARKING THROUGHOUT THIS AREA WITHIN A QUARTER MILE RADIUS.
AND, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GATHER, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 350 OF BASES THAT COULD BE USED.
NOW THE MAJORITY OF THOSE ARE NOT MARKED, BUT THEY COULD BE MARKED.
AND SO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, UH, OF WHERE THAT IS, YOU CAN SEE THE YELLOW LINE THAT IS, THAT IS GEORGE STREET, AND YOU'LL SEE SOME PARKING ON QUEEN STREET, UH, AND THROUGHOUT.
SO THAT'S ALL WITHIN A QUARTER MILE RANGE.
THERE'S ALSO SOME OVERFLOW PARKING, UH, NEAR WHERE THE SPLASH PAD IS.
AND IN THE OLD OUTFIELD OF THAT BASEBALL FIELD OUT THERE, THAT IS JUST ON STREET PARKING AND A LITTLE OFF STREET PARKING THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANYTHING ELSE THAT ALEC MAY TALKED ABOUT.
UH, IN JUST A FEW MINUTES, FOLKS, UH, THERE WAS ONE OTHER THING THAT WE HAD WAS PARK HOURS.
SO FOLKS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW LATE BASEBALL CAN BE PLAYED AT TAPER PARK.
AND SO BY CITY ORDINANCE, THE PARK HOURS ARE DAWN TO DUSK SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF DURING BALL SEASON, LIGHTS HAVE TO BE OUT AT 10:00 PM SO GAMES WOULD NOT BE TAKING PLACE LATE AT NIGHT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE ALEC GAR WITH THE OLD NORTH STATE LEAGUE TO GIVE HIS PRESENTATION.
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HELLO EVERYONE.MY NAME IS ALEC GAR, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
UH, MY FAMILY AND MYSELF, WE ARE THE FOUNDERS OF THE OLD NORTH STATE LEAGUE.
UM, AND SO WE'RE VERY, UH, FORTUNATE TO BE HERE TODAY.
WE'RE WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY OF POSSIBLY BRINGING A COLLEGE SUMMER BASEBALL TEAM TO NEWBURG.
SO THIS IS A, UH, A RENDITION KIND OF, OF WHAT WE PRESENTED AT THE MEETING LAST MONTH.
UH, IT'S EXPANDED A LITTLE BIT, AND I'LL GO THROUGH THIS.
UM, AND IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, IF YOU WOULD JUST WAIT TILL THE END AND I WOULD BE GLAD TO ANSWER THOSE TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
SO THE OLD NORTH STATE LEAGUE, AS I'VE SAID, IS A COLLEGE SUMMER WOOD MAP BASEBALL LEAGUE BASED ENTIRELY OUT OF NORTH CAROLINA.
IT'S MADE UP OF 16 TEAMS, UM, FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE STATE, FROM HENDERSONVILLE TO ELIZABETH CITY.
UM, MOST OF OUR PLAYERS COME FROM THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE'RE IN.
I WOULD SAY 70% OF OUR ROSTERS ARE MADE UP OF, OF GUYS THAT LIVE WITHIN A 30, 30 MILE RADIUS OF THEIR BALLPARKS.
WE DO HAVE OUT-OF-STATE PLAYERS AS WELL THAT STAY WITH HOST FAMILIES.
TYPICALLY, THOSE ARE, UH, PITCHERS.
OUR SEASON RUNS FROM THE END OF MAY, UH, THROUGH THE END OF JULY.
WE ALWAYS WRAP UP BY JULY 31ST.
HERE'S A MAP SHOWING WHERE SOME OF OUR TEAMS ARE OR ALL OF OUR TEAMS ARE.
WE'VE STARTED IN CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA IN 2018.
UH, OUR FIRST SEASON OF COMPETITION WAS IN 2019.
UH, OUR FIRST EXPANSION WAS WEST, AND THEN OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE EXPANDED TO THE EASTERN PART OF THE STATE.
THE BIG REASON WHY WE, WE'VE CRAFTED THE LEAGUE THE WAY THAT WE HAVE IS WE'RE BIG BELIEVERS IN TRYING TO CREATE COMMUNITY RIVALRIES AND SHORTENING TRANSPORTATION FOR THE PLAYERS IN THE LEAGUE.
UH, THE OLD MILL LEAGUES AROUND NORTH CAROLINA 75 YEARS AGO, THERE WAS A LOT OF THESE COMMUNITIES AROUND THE STATE THAT HAD A WOOD BAT BASEBALL TEAM, A MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM OF SOME SORT.
AND WE WANTED TO RECREATE THAT CONCEPT OF CREATING THESE COMMUNITY RIVALRIES.
THE NEXT FEW SLIDES SHOW A FEW BALLPARKS AROUND THE STATE.
UH, TRAMWAY PARK IS HOME TO THE SANFORD SPINNERS.
BOGEY BALLPARK IS HOME TO THE SANDHILL BOGEYS IN THE PINEHURST AREA.
IN THE TOP LEFT CORNER, YOU'LL SEE JP REAL STADIUM THAT'S HOME TO THE PAYABLE CHUTES.
BELOW THAT IS JACK HU'S BALLPARK HOME TO THE PINEVILLE PORCUPINES AND WHERE THE 2023 OLD NORTH STATE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP WAS PLAYED.
AND OUR IN THE RIGHT CORNER IS BERKELEY MILLS PARK AND OLD MILL LEAGUE BASEBALL STADIUM IN HENDERSONVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.
WELL, WE WANT TO COME TO NEW BERN FOR, FOR SEVERAL REASONS.
UH, IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO WHERE WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE PAST.
MY FAMILY PERSONALLY LOVES, LOVES COMING INTO AREAS THAT HAVE OLD BALLPARKS AND, AND RENOVATING THEM.
WE'VE DONE THAT, UM, FIVE DIFFERENT TIMES YOU OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
UH, MY DAD EVEN BEFORE THAT, UM, IT'S A BASEBALL RICH COMMUNITY.
AS I SAID, WE TRY TO GET OUR PLAYERS FROM A LO FROM AROUND THAT AREA.
SO IT'S A, IT'S AN AREA THAT WE CAN PULL A LOT OF LOCAL PLAYERS AND BUILD THAT COMMUNITY ASPECT AROUND THOSE THAT TEAM IT FILL A GEOGRAPHICAL, UH, HOLE WHERE WE HAVE A TEAM IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE STATE IN BRUNSWICK COUNTY.
AND THEN WE HAVE A TEAM IN ELIZABETH CITY AS WELL.
JACKSONVILLE WAS ADDED A MONTH AGO.
SO IT ALLOWS US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE TWO TEAMS KIND OF IN THE CENTRAL COASTAL REGION THAT CAN SPLIT THAT TRAVEL BETWEEN ELIZABETH CITY AND BRUNSWICK COUNTY.
AS MR. HUG SAID, WE, WE TALKED FOR MULTIPLE TIMES ABOUT DIFFERENT BALLPARKS AROUND THE NEW NEWBURN AREA, AND ULTIMATELY WE JUST KEPT COMING BACK TO CAPER PARK.
AND REALLY THE, THE BIG REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE, UH, HISTORICAL MEANING THAT THE BALLPARK HAD TO THE AREA.
UH, WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT COME BACK TO LIFE EVEN MORE SO, AND BRING IT BACK TO ITS HEYDAY AND IT'S CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN.
UH, IT HAS A GREAT FOUNDATION FOR US TO BUILD UPON.
UM, AND, AND REALLY JUST THE, THE HISTORICAL ASPECT IS WHY WE'RE SO ATTRACTED TO THE FIELD.
THIS SLIDE, UH, IS ONE OF OUR FIRST BALLPARKS THAT WE RENOVATED.
THE TOP TWO PICTURES ARE WHEN WE TOOK IT OVER.
AND THE BOTTOM THREE ARE AFTER RENOVATIONS WERE COMPLETE.
IT WAS UP FORMER MILLE FIELD AS WELL IN RAMS, NORTH CAROLINA, WHICH IS MY HOMETOWN.
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SLIDE IS BUGGIE BALLPARK IN PINEHURST.THIS WAS A FACILITY THAT THE LEAGUE TOOK LAST YEAR AND BUILT FROM THE GROUND UP.
IT WAS A KICKBALL FIELD THERE BEFORE ON THE CAMPUS OF SAND HILLS COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
UM, SO THIS WAS A COMPLETE FROM THE GROUND UP INSTRUCTION THAT WE DID.
UM, IT'S NOT OUR MOST RECENT, OUR MOST RECENT PRO UH, PROJECT WAS A RENOVATION PROJECT AT BRUNSWICK COMMUNITY COLLEGE THIS YEAR.
AND, UH, ONE IN THE NEAR FUTURE WILL BE A NORTH COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
SO WHAT WE WILL DO, WHAT OUR PLAN IS AND HOW WE WE BUILD THESE TEAMS IN THESE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES IS WE WILL HIRE A LOCAL GENERAL MANAGER.
THAT'LL BE THE FIRST THING THAT WE DO.
AFTER THAT, WE'LL BE A HEAD COACH AND THEN WE'LL BEGIN THE PROCESS OF WORKING WITH THE GENERAL MANAGER AND THE HEAD COACH TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO MEET WITH DIFFERENT COMMUNITY LEADERS AND BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN BEST IMPACT THE COMMUNITY BEYOND JUST OUR TWO MONTHS COLLEGE SUMMER SEASON.
SO WE'LL WORK WITH THE P REC DIRECTOR, WE'LL WORK WITH, UH, THE COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEIR INITIATIVES ARE AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN HELP SUPPORT THOSE.
OUR GOAL WILL BE TO CREATE A YEAR ROUND EXPERIENCE AT CAPER PARK, NOT JUST IN THOSE TWO MONTH, THAT TWO MONTH PERIOD.
THIS SLIDE KIND OF DETAILS SOME ESTIMATES OF WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO, UH, IN THE FIRST PHASE.
THE HOPE IS THAT THE FIRST PHASE WOULD BE COMPLETED BY THE 2024 SEASON.
UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE BIGGEST EXPENSE WILL BE THE GRANDSTAND THAT WE HOPE TO CONSTRUCT AROUND THE BACKSTOP.
BUT WHAT WE WILL DO IS WE'LL COME IN, UH, EXTEND THE OUTFIELD FENCING BACK AND CENTER FIELD SLIGHTLY, AND EVERYTHING FROM THE DUGOUTS IN, WE WILL TEAR DOWN AND THEN REBUILD, UH, TO FIT A COLLEGE ROSTER AND THEN CONSTRUCT A GRANDSTAND AROUND THE BACKSTOP.
IN EXCHANGE FOR OUR CONTRIBUTION INTO THE RENOVATION PROJECT OF PAPER PARK, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS, IS SIGN A 10 YEAR LEASE TO GIVE US A, SOME STABILITY THAT WE'RE GONNA BE HERE FOR A LONG TIME FOR OUR INVESTMENT THAT'S ESTIMATED BETWEEN 250 AND $350,000.
WE'D LIKE TO SIGN A 10 YEAR LEASE AT A DOLLAR A YEAR.
AND WHAT THAT WOULD DO IS IT WOULD GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE BACK OUR INVESTMENT OVER TIME.
BUT ALSO WHAT IT WOULD DO IS WE WOULD WORK WITH PARKS AND REC AND OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM RIGHTS TO USE THE FIELD ALSO INSIDE OF OUR LEASE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THE BULK OF OUR COMPETITION AND THE BULK OF OUR SCHEDULING IS GONNA BE IN THE SUMMER MONTHS.
WE WILL DO THINGS OUTSIDE THOSE SUMMER MONTHS TO TRY TO, UH, DRIVE ECONOMIC REVENUE TO THE AREA.
UM, THE E C A V L WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY AT FER PARK.
SO WE WILL WORK THROUGH ALL THESE DIFFERENT SCHEDULES TO BE ABLE TO GIVE EACH COMMUNITY GROUP THE PARKS DIRECT AND, AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN GET AS MANY PEOPLE IN THE BALLPARK AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
THE NEXT FEW SLIDES ARE SOME RENDERINGS OF WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
UH, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THESE ARE RENDERINGS.
THEY'RE NOT, THIS IS NOT ABSOLUTELY WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
THAT'S AN ANGULAR BUILT MITER CUT GRANDSTAND.
IT WILL BE VERY SIMILAR TO THAT.
WE HOPE TO WRAP FROM DUGOUT TO DUGOUT 'CAUSE WE HOPE TO BUILD, TO FIT A THOUSAND PEOPLE INTO THE BALLPARK.
THERE'S KIND OF A LAYOUT OF, UH, WHAT I WAS JUST DEPICTING.
THAT IS A ANGULAR BUILT BLEACHER SYSTEM.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE, THAT ALLOWS US TO MAXIMIZE THE SPACE AND, AND BE ABLE TO FIT THE MOST PEOPLE INTO THE GRAND STAMP.
HERE'S A PROPOSED BEER PATIO, A TYPE OF BEER PATIO THAT WE, WE WOULD LIKE TO CONSTRUCT AND OVERALL SOME CONCLUDING THOUGHTS ON, ON THE PRESENTATION AND ON OUR PROPOSAL.
SO WHAT WE'RE BASICALLY ASKING FOR IS A 10 YEAR LEASE, UM, VALUED AT 25,000, $35,000 A YEAR BASED OFF OF THE INVESTMENT THAT WE'VE PUT INTO THE FIELD.
AND SO FOR REFERENCE, RANGER STADIUM IN KINSTON IS, IS OVER A $10 MILLION BALLPARK THAT'S LEASED FOR AROUND $60,000 A YEAR.
WE WILL TAKE OVER ALL THE UTILITIES.
WE'LL MAINTAIN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE E C A B
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L.UH, WE WILL BE BEGINNING GAINS AT 6:00 PM TO AVOID THE, UH, NOISE ORDINANCE.
AND, UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE CITY AND OTHER LOCAL GROUPS TO BE ABLE TO OPTIMIZE THE BUILD AND BE ABLE TO GIVE, UM, PAR AND RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO, TO, UH, PUT ON EVENTS.
AND THEN THIS LAST, LAST, UH, SLIDE IS KIND OF SOME STUFF MR. HUGHES WENT OVER, BUT, UM, WHAT ARE TICKET PRICES WE GET THAT ASKED? TICKET PRICES ARE AROUND THE OLD NORTH STATE LEAGUE ARE EIGHT TO $10 TYPICALLY.
WE ALL, PRETTY MUCH EVERY BALLPARK JUST DOES GENERAL ADMISSION.
UM, THERE'S NO RESERVE SEATING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THERE'S A, THERE'S ONE BALLPARK OUT IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA THAT DOES, BUT OVERALL, EVERYBODY DOES GENERAL ADMISSION AND, AND IT, AND IT'S EIGHT TO $10 TYPICALLY.
UM, AS I SAID, GAMES WILL START AT 6:00 PM THOSE ARE THE NIGHT GAMES.
THERE'LL PROBABLY BE SOME DAY GAMES AS WELL.
UM, WHAT TYPE, TYPE OF FOOD WILL WE SERVE? SO THIS THAT'LL KIND OF DEPEND ON ONCE WE GET ON THE GROUND, ONCE WE SEE WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO IN THE CONCESSION FACILITY.
UM, FIRST THOUGHTS ARE WE WOULD PROBABLY DO WHAT WE DO WITH ABOUT HALF THE TEAMS IN THE LEAGUE AND WE BRING IN FOOD TRUCKS OR WORK WITH LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND, AND BASICALLY BUY THEIR FOOD FREE WRAP AND THEN SELL IT OUT OF THE CONCESSION CENTER.
UH, WE'VE GOT A QUESTION ABOUT HOW WILL BEER BEER SALES WORK? SO NEWBURN BASEBALL WILL APPLY FOR A RETAIL PERMIT.
UM, IT, WE WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THE PROPER PERMITTING PROCEDURES.
WE WILL PROVIDE SECURITY AT THE BALLPARK, WHICH IS CUSTOM AROUND THE LEAGUE.
AND, UM, THROUGH THE FIVE YEARS, UH, NEARLY 1200 GAMES, WE HAVE NEVER HAD A BEER RELATED INCIDENT.
NOW I'M NOT GONNA SIT HERE AND SAY THAT IT WILL NEVER EVER HAPPEN, BUT SO FAR IT HAS NEVER HAPPENED.
AND WILL ADDITIONAL NETTING BE ADDED? SO YES, WE WILL BE LOOKING TO ADD ADDITIONAL NETTING TO, UH, PROTECT CARS PATRONS AND TO PROTECT LOCAL BUSINESSES AND BUILDINGS AND SUCH.
SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I WILL ABSOLUTELY DO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY TO ANSWER THEM.
SHE'S GOT A WHITE, UH, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A FEEL FOR HOW IT'S SET UP.
I LIVE IN THE 500 BLOCK OF MEDCALF STREET, WHICH I DO THINK WILL PROBABLY END UP WITH OVERFLOW PARKING ISSUES BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE HAVE THINGS ON THIS END, IT GOES UP THE STREET.
WHERE IS THE, THE CONCESSION STAND STUFF? WHAT CORNER IS THAT FACING? THE FACING THE STREET? IS IT FACING OH, THAT THE BUILDING UP IN THE, UH, KIND OF IN THE TOP RIGHT AND CENTER OF THE PICTURE.
IS THAT, WHERE'S THE POLICE STATION? IT'S DOWN IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER.
YOU CAN'T SEE IT, BUT THAT ROAD THAT'S ALONG THE RED.
THAT GIVES ME THE ORIENTATION.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.
THE LEAGUE THAT'S PLAYING THERE RIGHT NOW, UM, I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE BEEN PAYING SOMETHING ON A MONTHLY BASIS FOR THE RIGHT TO USE IT.
HOW WILL IT WORK TO ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE? 'CAUSE I HATE THE THOUGHT OF LOSING THE, UH, CURRENT GROUP THAT'S THERE.
YEAH, SO WHAT I'VE TALKED TO, UH, DOUG ABOUT IS OUR BIGGEST THING IS WE HAVE DIFFERENT REVENUE STREAMS THAN MAYBE, THAN HE DOES OR THAN OTHER BASEBALL ORGANIZATIONS BECAUSE ONE OF OUR BIGGEST REVENUE STREAMS IS OUTFIELD ADVERTISING BANNERS ON THE OUTFIELD FENCE.
AND SO THE BIG THING TO DRIVE UP THE VALUE OF THE OUTFIELD ADVERTISING, WHICH IS OUR LARGEST, ONE OF OUR LARGEST REVENUE STREAMS, IS TO ATTRACT AS MANY EYES TO THE BALLPARK TO SEE THOSE OUTFIELD ADVERTISEMENTS.
SO WHAT I'VE TALKED TO DOUG ABOUT IS ACTUALLY WITHIN REASON WE'RE GOING TO, UH, WAIVE THE RENTAL FEE FOR THEIR GROUP MOVING FORWARD.
IF, IF EVERYTHING IS APPROVED, OF COURSE.
HEY, SO I'M PART OF THE BOARD FOR THE E C A D L.
MY QUESTION IS, SO RIGHT NOW THEY PLAY THREE DAYS A WEEK, TWO DAYS THROUGH THE WEEK, AND A ONE DAY ON THE WEEKEND.
HOW IS THAT GOING TO FIT IN WITH YOUR GUYS' SCHEDULE? BECAUSE YOU SAY WHETHER IT'S GONNA BE BIG TIME GAMES AND THEN NIGHTTIME GAME.
SO WHERE'S THAT FIT IN FOR THE ADULT AMATEUR LEAGUE? YEAH, SO THEY, EVERY TEAM IN OLD NORTH STATE LEAGUE PLAYS 20 TO 25 POUND GAMES.
UM, SO WE'LL, WE'LL WORK WITH HIS SCHEDULE AND THEN SCHEDULE OUR GAMES IN ACCORDANCE ACTUALLY IN, IN A MARKET LIKE THIS,
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THE DAYS THAT THEY ALREADY PLAY ON, I BELIEVE WILL ACTUALLY LINE UP PRETTY GOOD WITH WHAT WE WOULD WANT TO PLAY HERE.SO NOT EVERYBODY, NOT EVERY TEAM IN EVERY MARKET LIKE OPTIMIZES CERTAIN DAYS AND, AND SOME DAYS ARE BETTER THAN OTHER THAN CERTAIN AREAS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, I LIVE IN BRUNSWICK COUNTY, UM, A COASTAL TOURIST AREA AND MY WIFE IS A GENERAL MANAGER OF THAT TEAM.
UM, THOSE DAYS THAT ARE BEST THERE ARE LIKE YOUR MONDAY, TUESDAYS, AND WEDNESDAYS, BECAUSE THAT'S AFTER VACATION TURNOVER.
UM, THIS IS A MORE CONSISTENT POPULATION.
SO YOUR FRIDAY NIGHT GAMES, SATURDAY GAMES, THOSE ARE GONNA BE OUR BEST, PROBABLY OUR BEST GAMES.
BUT EVEN BEYOND THAT, OVER A NINE WEEK SCHEDULE, I WOULD THINK TO SPREAD OUT 24, 25 GAMES WE WE'RE LOOKING AT TWO OR THREE DAYS A WEEK AS WELL.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING THE MORE THAT'S GOING ON AT THE BALLPARK.
'CAUSE AS I SAID, UH, IT JUST, IT GETS MORE PEOPLE IN THE BALLPARK TO SEE THE RENOVATION.
IT GETS MORE EYES ON THOSE ADVERTISEMENTS FOR US.
UH, AND IT JUST DRIVES UP THAT, THAT FACILITY AS LIKE A COMMUNITY SPOT.
SO, UH, DOES THAT ANSWER IS THAT GOOD? ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING.
UH, I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND, AND I'LL JUST SAY, UH, BASEBALL IS A DECLINE IN SPORT IN OUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
I GREW UP PLANT HERE IN ALL, ALL OF THE LEAGUES.
UM, UH, IN HIGH SCHOOL I HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE PERCENTAGE OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS ON THEIR TEAM.
UM, COLLEGE THAT WASN'T A PROBLEM 'CAUSE I WAS AT A, A HISTORICAL BLACK UNIVERSITY, BUT AS A MINOR LEAGUE PLAYER WITH THE BRAVES, IT WAS, UH, 20 PLAYERS OTHER THAN AFRICAN AMERICAN AND MYSELF AND MIL THOMPSON.
AND IT WAS A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATION.
BUT LEADING INTO MY QUESTION, UM, WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN PLAYERS IN THIS 16 TEAM, UM, O OLA STATE ORGANIZATION? DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA? UH, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, SIR, I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THE PERCENTAGE.
'CAUSE WE, WE DON'T, UH, WE DON'T, WHEN THEY SIGN UP, WE DON'T ASK THEM RACIAL QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF THEIR RACE.
I CAN TELL YOU THOUGH, WITH WHAT I SAID ABOUT HOW WE TYPICALLY RECRUIT VERY LOCAL TEAMS. SO THE COMMUNITIES THAT MAYBE ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE DIVERSE TYPICALLY HAVE A MORE DIVERSE ROSTER AND THEN VICE VERSA.
UM, SO WITH THAT IN MIND, UM, MY OTHER QUESTION WOULD BE, AND I I THINK YOU DID SAY YOU WILL BE COLLABORATING, PARTNERING WITH, UH, NEW BERN PARKS AND RECREATION.
THE IDEAL I HAD ABOUT THAT, IF YOU GUYS WOULD BE CONSIDERING POSSIBLY, UH, PROVIDING THE ANNUAL SPRING BASEBALL CLINIC CAMP FOR OUR, FOR OUR TARGETED FOR OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN KIDS TO GET THAT INITIATIVE SO WE CAN FOSTER SOME, SOME INTEREST BACK INTO THAT, UH, SPORT, THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE, WE DO CAMPS, UH, TYPICALLY TRY TO DO CAMPS THREE OR FOUR TIMES A YEAR.
UM, SOME OF OUR TEAMS DO CAMPS FIVE TIMES A YEAR, BUT THAT WILL ABSOLUTELY BE SOMETHING THAT WE TRY TO DO HERE.
UH, AND YOU PRETTY MUCH ANSWERED MY QUESTION EARLIER, BULLET POINTS.
I SEE YOU RETAIN AN OWNER OR THE FACILITY FOR 365 DAYS A YEAR.
AND AS A DOWNTOWN RESIDENT THAT USES THAT BATTING CAGE SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK, UM, AND OUR ONLY TWO ACCESSIBLE CAGES ARE AT CREEKSIDE AND, UH, WEST CRAVEN PARK.
NOT REALLY LOCAL TO HERE IF THE CREEKSIDE IS CLOSE.
BUT, UM, IF YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, COMPLETE CONTROL DEPARTMENT 65 DAYS A YEAR, I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT PORT TALKING, UM, RECEIVE A BATTING CAGE
THERE, THERE, UH, I THINK THERE'S DEFINITELY WAYS THAT WE CAN WORK AROUND THAT ISSUE.
SO ONE THING THAT WE'LL HAVE TO DO, IT IS NOT A QUESTION THAT I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA GET TODAY, BUT ONE THING THAT WE HAD THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA DO WAS AROUND THAT EXTERIOR FENCE RIGHT NOW, UH, THIS FOUR FOOT TALL, UH, AROUND THE EXTERIOR PART OF THE BALLPARK THAT WOULD GO DOWN PAST THAT BACK PAGE, WE THOUGHT ABOUT RAISING THE FENCE LINE UP.
UH, BECAUSE ONE AREA, ONE THING THAT WE'VE HAD ISSUES WITH, AND PROBABLY EVERYBODY IN SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT HAS HAD ISSUES WITH IS PEOPLE CHEAT THE SYSTEM AND TRYING TO, UH, WATCH THE GAME FOR FREE, YOU KNOW, AND STAND OVER THE FENCE AND LOOK AND, AND AS A, THIS IS A SMALL BUSINESS.
SO AS A SMALL BUSINESS, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
ONE THING THAT WE MAYBE CONSIDER DOING, UH, OBVIOUSLY
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IT WOULD BE KIND OF UP TO THE CITY, BUT INSTEAD OF THAT SIX FOOT FENCE GOING ALL THE WAY AROUND, WE DO THE SIX FOOT FENCE AND AROUND THE CAGE.SO WHERE THAT RED LINE IS RIGHT NOW, UH, BEYOND THE CAGE BETWEEN THE CAGE CAJUN THE CONCESSION STAND, WHAT WE PUT THAT FENCE WAS SO THAT KIDS OR PEOPLE THAT WERE AT THE BALLPARK WOULDN'T GO DOWN INTO THOSE AREAS.
SO THAT 'CAUSE OF INJURIES AND PLAYERS ARE HANGING OUT, HITTING VP, THROWING IN THE BULLPENS.
WE JUST DON'T WANT ANYBODY GETTING HURT.
WHAT WE COULD PAY POSSIBLY CONSIDER DOING WITH CITY'S APPROVAL.
KEEPING THAT TOP SECTION OF THAT FENCE LINE FOREFOOT AND KEEPING A GATE THERE SO THAT PEOPLE CAN CONTINUE TO USE THE, UH, THE CAGES AND NOT HAVE TO COME THROUGH THE ACTUAL BALLPARK ITSELF.
TOTALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE, WE'RE EXCITED.
UH, MY QUESTION IS, DO YOU GUYS DO ANY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH, UH, YOUTH PARTICULARLY MAYBE MINORITIES OR JUST IN GENERAL? ARE YOU OPEN TO DO THAT? YEAH, WE, WE TRY TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND TO GROW THE GAME OF BASEBALL IN THE YOUTH.
I MEAN, IT'S, MY PERSONAL PASSION FOR THIS IS BECAUSE I THINK THAT PERSONALLY, MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL HAS DONE EXCEPT THE LIKE EXACT OPPOSITE OF GROW THE GAME OF BASEBALL.
AND I WANT THE GAME OF BASEBALL TO GROW AROUND NORTH CAROLINA.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL'S CUT MINOR LEAGUE TEAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, UH, ATKINSON'S, RELOCATE AND ALL THESE COMMUNITIES THAT HISTORICALLY HAVE BAD BASEBALL, MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL OR WITH BAD BASEBALL IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, THEY'RE LOSING THOSE.
AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS THE KIDS ARE LOSING A HERO WHEN THEY TAKE THOSE TEAMS OUT.
AND SO, YEAH, OF COURSE GUYS, I'M NOT GONNA SIT HERE AND SAY THIS ISN'T A BUSINESS.
IT IS, BUT THERE'S ALSO A PASSION BEHIND IT.
'CAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE TO GROW THE GAME OF BASEBALL.
WE'VE GOT TO, TO GIVE KIDS HEROES TO LOOK UP TO IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I PLAYED PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL ON THE INDEPENDENT SIDE FOR FOUR YEARS.
AND I CREDIT MY COUSIN BECAUSE MY COUSIN, UH, HE PLAYED MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL FOR FOUR YEARS ALSO.
AND WHEN I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD, SIX YEARS OLD, I WAS GOING OUT WATCHING HIS GAMES AND I SAT AT FIVE OR SIX YEARS OLD, LIKE, I, I WANNA BE HIM ONE DAY.
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY NOWADAYS WHEN, WHEN KIDS SPEND ALL THEIR TIME, TIME ALL THEIR TIME, BUT A LOT OF THEIR TIME ON THEIR PHONES OR PLAYING VIDEO GAMES, THEY'RE, THEY'RE LOSING THEIR HEROES THAT USED TO BE IN THEIR BACKYARDS.
SO THAT'S KIND OF MY PASSION BEHIND IT.
DOES THAT, DOES THAT ANSWER? YES.
I GUESS JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE DIRECT, ARE YOU GUYS OPEN DURING YOUR DOWNTIME TO WORK WITH UNDERSTANDING IT'S A BUSINESS CHILDREN FROM THE MINORITIES OR JUST IN GENERAL? IS IT LIKE CLINICS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHERE YOU CAN EXPOSE THE GAME OF BASEBALL WHERE IT'S BEEN LOST AT? I GUESS THAT'S WHAT MY QUESTION.
THAT WILL BE WHAT THE GENERAL MANAGER AND THE HEAD COACH, THEY TRY TO MOVE THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE WHOLE YEAR.
WITH, WITH YOUR IMPROVEMENT MONEY YOU GONNA SPEND, IS THERE ANY INTENT TO IMPROVE THE BUREAU THAT'S ON THE BACK WALL THAT WAS PUT IN YEARS AGO? I HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT IT, BUT I, I THINK IT WOULD BE A REALLY NICE THING TO DO.
AND THE REASON I, THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE I THINK PART OF DEPICTS CENTRAL PAGE AND SOME OTHER PLAYERS THAT WERE HERE YEARS AGO, SO THAT MURAL WAS PUT UP, I GUESS ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO.
SO, UH, YOU TALK ABOUT GROWING THE GAME AND, AND THE LOVE OF THE GAME.
UM, WE DID HAVE A WOODEN BAT LEAGUE HERE BEFORE, AND MY SON WAS BORN DURING THAT TIME AND HE STARTED GOING TO GAMES AT THAT TIME.
AND NOW THIS SAT SUN SATURDAY, I'M BRINGING HIM OFF TO COLLEGE TO PLAY BASEBALL IN COLLEGE.
SO THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT CAN BRING A BIG INFLUENCE INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF KIDS THAT GREW UP WATCHING THOSE, THAT OLD WOODEN BAT LEAGUE TEAM.
AND THESE KIDS ARE NOW COMING OF AGE THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE STARTING TO GO INTO COLLEGE.
SO I THINK IT'S A GREAT WAY TO GET MORE AND MORE KIDS TO LOVE THE GAME AND WHATEVER RACE NATIONALITY THEY ARE, I THINK THAT AS LONG AS WE CAN GET THEM INSIDE THE STANDS, IT'S GONNA BE, IT'S GONNA BE OBVIOUS.
I GREW UP IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, GREW UP IN THIS JAIL, GREW UP ON THE MR. MOORE'S FATHER.
WE HAD BASEBALL CLEANERS, WE HAD FOOTBALL PLANS TO MAKE SURE WE HAD BEST WE COMPETE WITH, COULD COMPETE WITH ANYBODY OR ANY, UH, SCHOOL OR ANY GROUP OF PEOPLE AROUND WHOLE PERIOD OF YEARS.
YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE NAMES, THE PICTURES ON THE WALL, SOME, MOST OF EM GUYS THAT PLAYED SPORTS WERE CLOSED TO COME FROM HERE.
THOSE PEOPLE THAT WE, WE KIND OF LOOKED UP TO.
THE THING ABOUT IT IS THAT IT, IT HAD TRIPLED DOWN A LITTLE BIT A LOT
[00:30:01]
AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH SPACE FOR ALL THE KIDS IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN.I KNEW THAT BECAUSE I WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE RECREATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD.
SO THE SOUTHERN LITTLE LEAGUE WAS REALLY FORCED OUT NEW BERN FOR THE DEFENSE P PLACE.
AND WE STILL HAD ALL THE OTHER AREAS PACKED WITH KIDS.
UH, THEN WE HAVE FOOTBALL, THE LEAGUE FOOTBALL, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THAT.
UH, WE FOR PRACTICE AT CABLE PARK, WE HAD TWO TEAMS ON THE SAME, UNDER THE SAME ORGANIZATION.
BUT YOU HAVE A TEAM AND I HAVE A TEAM AND WE WEREN'T UNDER THE SAME ORGANIZATION THEN WE COULDN'T BE ON THE SAME FIELD.
THAT'S STILL, THAT'S BASICALLY RIGHT NOW, HERE WE WENT.
SO WHAT WILL WE, I KNOW YOU SAID DURING THE WINTER MONTHS YOU MAY NOT, UH, YOU'D BE OPEN.
HOW COULD WE ARRANGE IT? BECAUSE THE LAST FOUR YEARS, I THINK MR. LEWIS WAS THE ONE THAT HAD HIS TEAM OUT THERE BY CABLE PARK.
UH, PICKETT HAD A TEAM OVER AT STANLEY WHITE AND EVERYBODY WAS ALL SCATTERED ALL OVER TOWN.
HOW, HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO FILTER OUR KIDS BACK IN THIS SO THEY CAN PARTICIPATE AND PLAY THE SPORTS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO PLAN? I THINK THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO WORK WITH PARTS AND REC, GET IT BACK THERE, MAKE, MAKE THE BALLPARK OF AN INVITING PLACE AND TRY TO GET PARTS AND REC IS OUR LEVERAGE PARTS AND REC COME BACK AND AND HOST STUFF THERE.
OBVIOUSLY THOSE ARE THINGS THAT KIND OF OUT OF MY CONTROL, BUT IT'S THINGS THAT I CAN PUSH TO TRY TO DO.
YOU KNOW, I GUESS I'LL LET IT GO AS THAT.
BUT BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE KIDS.
I, I REALIZED I PLAYED WITH MEN TOO AND UH, I PLAYED, I STOPPED PLAYING FOR FIVE YEARS AND CAME BACK AND PLAYED ONE OF THE TOP PLAYERS.
AND THE THING THAT GOT ME THAT WE WERE PLAYING A GAME AND ONE OF THE PLAYERS SAID, HAD A KID RUNNING AROUND OUT THERE TOLD, ASKED HIS WIFE TO TELL THAT KID, TELL HIS KID TO SIT DOWN.
AND I'M PLAYING SPORTS AND I'M SAYING WE, WE GROWN PEOPLE AND WE PLAYING AND THE KIDS SITTING OUT WATCHING, WE SHOULD BE WATCHING THEM PLAY.
SO I, I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT I'M STILL FOR THE KIDS, I WEAR THEIR PAINT.
UH, AND I, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
BRING A FIELD, YOU KNOW, TO NEW BERN AND ER PARK.
UH, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, I KNOW YOU SAID IT GONNA COST ABOUT EIGHT TO $10 FOR THE INTEREST FEE, BUT MY MAIN CONCERN IS WE HAVE A LOT OF UNDER UNDERSERVED KIDS AROUND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OR YOU ALL PLANNING ON GIVING OUT SOME SCHOLARSHIPS OR RENTS.
BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE SAYING YOU ARE WORKING WITH PARKS AND REC, SO YOU WORKING WITH THEM, I KNOW THEY HAVE RENTS AND STUFF, SO ARE YOU GONNA TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION? ABSOLUTELY.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, UM, BEING ABLE TO GET KIDS INTO THE BALLPARK AND PARKS AND GAMES AND WHATNOT? YES.
SO TYPICALLY AND EVERY TEAM'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON, ON WHO OWNS THE TEAM ACROSS THE LEAGUE.
OF THE 16 TEAMS, UH, THERE'S ABOUT EIGHT DIFFERENT OWNERSHIP GROUPS.
UM, SO A LOT OF THE, I THINK FROM LIKE MOST TEAMS, FIVE TO 10 YEAR OLDS FOR FREE FOR KID TO COME IN ANYWAYS.
UH, AND THEN IN TERMS OF CAMPS, YEAH, WE, WE DO WORK WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS AND NONPROFITS TO RAISE MONEY TO GIVE SCHOLARSHIPS TO KIDS THAT MAYBE CAN'T AFFORD TO COME TO CAMP.
UH, ARE YOU ALL PLANNING ON HAVING ANY, UH, OTHER EVENTS IN THE PARK BESIDES JUST BASEBALL? YEAH, YEAH.
WE WANT TO, WE WANNA HOST ALL KINDS OF EVENTS THERE.
UH, WHEN THE FREE DAYS ARE OPEN, WHETHER THAT BE CONCERTS OR KICKBALL TOURNAMENTS FOR KIDS OR, UH, YOUTH BASEBALL EVENTS.
I KNOW IT'S A BASEBALL EVENT, BUT A YOUTH BASEBALL EVENT BRINGING IN TEAMS AND TEAMS FROM THE AREA TO THE BALLPARK AND STUFF.
UM, ONE THING THAT WE'VE DONE IN OTHER AREAS IS A FIREFIGHTERS VERSUS POLICE DEPARTMENT GAME.
WE'LL TRY TO DO AS MANY COMMUNITY CENTRIC THINGS AT THE BALLPARK AS WE POSSIBLY CAN IN A 365 DAY YEAR.
UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW ME, I'M GARY SMITH AND I
[00:35:01]
WAS THE HIP BASEBALL COACH AT NEWBURN HIGH SCHOOL FOR 17 YEARS.ALSO COACHED THE AMERICAN LEGION TEAM FOR 10 YEARS DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.
CURRENTLY, I'M THE HEAD BASEBALL COACH AT THE NORTH COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN KENTON.
UM, I USED TO HAVE A VOICE IN THIS TOWN REGARDING BASEBALL ISSUES.
UM, NOW THE, UH, MR. HUGHES ALEC KIND OF SPOKE TO THE HISTORY OF BASEBALL IN THIS TOWN.
IF ASK A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN, THEY WOULD TELL YOU IT'S STILL A FOOTBALL PLACE, UH, BASED ON THE SUCCESS THE HIGH SCHOOL TEAM HAS HAD.
UH, BUT THE HISTORY HERE IN BASEBALL IS VERY RICH.
UH, I DON'T GO BACK AS FAR AS THE GREAT FIRE.
IT PROBABLY LOOKS LIKE I DO, BUT I'M NOT QUITE THAT OLD.
UH, BUT SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE 25 YEARS, WE HAVE SEEN, UM, EVEN BEFORE WE GOT HERE, STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM IN 1966, THE, UM, INCEPTION OF BABE RUTH BASEBALL, THE INCEPTION OF CAL RIPKIN BASEBALL THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS.
UH, THE NUMBER OF TONS OF PLAYERS THAT HAVE LEFT OVER AND GONE ON TO PLAY IN COLLEGE, PLAYERS THAT HAD LEFT MR. MOORE, ADAM WARREN, WHO GONE ON TO PLAY PRO BALL AND THERE, THERE ARE OTHERS.
UH, BUT MANY OF THOSE THINGS HAVE FALLEN BY THE WAYSIDE.
THE AMERICAN LEADERSHIP TEAM IS NO LONGER, UH, INTACT.
BEIRUT BASEBALL, I DON'T EVEN KNOW, YOU DON'T HEAR PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT PLAYING BEIRUT BASEBALL ANYMORE.
SO AFTER KIDS ARE ABOUT 12 YEARS OLD, THERE'S REALLY NOTHING IN THIS TOWN FOR THERE.
BASEBALL ENTHUSIASTS, AND I CAN SPEAK FIRSTHAND ABOUT ALEC GILMORE STATE LEAGUE BECAUSE THE KINSTON TEAM PLAYED AT THE NOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE WHERE I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING THE FIELD AND FOR GAME ADMINISTRATION.
UH, I, IT WAS KIND OF ALMOST A LAST MINUTE THING THAT THEY CAME TO KENSTON.
UM, SO I WAS A LITTLE SKEPTICAL, UH, AS HOW IT WAS ALL GONNA GO.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT ALEC, THE COACHING STAFF IN KENSTON, THE PLAYERS, THE OPPONENTS FIRST CLASS, IT WAS ALL DONE FIRST CLASS.
UH, THE RESPECT THEY HAD FOR OUR FACILITY, UH, FOR ME, MY COACHING STAFF, THE ENTHUSIASM THEY BROUGHT TO THE BALLPARK, I I I SEE THAT AS SOMETHING THAT WOULD LIE VERY WELL HERE.
UM, THIS IS NOT A PAID ADVERTISEMENT BY ANY MEANS,
UH, THOSE ARE PRETTY OBVIOUS, BUT IT ALSO HAS MORE IMPACT IN THAT FOOD TRUCKS.
UM, THAT'S HOW THEY SERVE FOOD AT OUR PLACE.
UM, ALEC WOULD NEED STOREKEEPERS AND SCOREBOARD OPERATORS AND TICKET TAKERS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE EMPLOY HIGH SCHOOL KIDS TO DO THOSE THINGS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE JOBS AVAILABLE.
THE AMOUNT OF ADVERTISING THAT WAS DONE ON OUR FIELD, UH, WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA BE UP THERE YEAR ROUND.
SO NOT ONLY DOES IT HELP THE KINSTON WINGMAN, IT'S GONNA HELP LENORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, THE RENOVATIONS THAT ARE GONNA BE DONE.
UM, I I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT WHAT HIS ORGANIZATION IS BRINGING INTO COMMUNITIES.
AND OVER THE 25 YEARS WE'VE BEEN HERE, MY WIFE AND I MANY TIMES HAVE DISCUSSED HOW NEW BERN ALLOWS DOLLARS TO TRICKLE OUT OF HERE TO GO TO OTHER COMMUNITIES, MOREHEAD CITY, JACKSONVILLE, KENSTON, WHETHER IT BE RESTAURANTS OR ENTERTAINMENT.
YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP THOSE DOLLARS HERE IN TOWN AND PUT A PRODUCT ON THE FIELD THE COMMUNITY CAN BE PROUD OF.
I I THINK THAT FROM AN ADMINISTRATIVE OVER YOUR HEAD CITY ADMINISTRATION, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN THEY MAKE DECISIONS, THEY'VE GOTTA LOOK AT WHAT IS BEST FOR THE CITIZENS OF THE COMMUNITY BEFORE THEY MAKE A DECISION.
AGAIN, IF I'M VOTING, I'M VOTING YES, THIS IS GONNA BE A GOOD THING FOR THE COMMITTEE.
[00:40:01]
TO HIM TO GET, GIVE THE MIC TO HIM.I SAY I'M NEXT, BUT I DON'T KNOW THE, THE MAN SPOKE ABOUT SOME STUFF
I GREW UP NEXT DOOR HOUSE, NEXT DOOR HERE, SMITH STREET, AROUND BETWEEN, THEY USED TO HAVE A SEMI-PRO BASKETBALL, NOT BASKETBALL, BASEBALL TEAM, NEW BERN GIANTS.
THEY USED TO SIT ON THE WALL AND WATCH THE DIFFERENT TEAMS COME IN FROM OUT OUT OF TOWN.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, UM, I PLAYED FOOTBALL OVER THAT.
I PLAYED MIDGET BASEBALL OVER THERE.
AND ALSO I WATCHED THE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM, UH, JT, BOB WARRIORS, THEY PLAYED OVER THERE.
UH, I WAS COACHED BY MR. WHITE, MR. MOORE AND BASKETBALL.
AND I LEARNED A LOT OF THINGS.
AND WHEN I GREW UP, I START COACHING DOING THE SAME THING.
AND I I HEAR YOU SAYING BASEBALL IS DECLINING, BUT I, I CAN SAY I WAS A PART OF, UH, 7, 8, 7, 9, WE WAS ALL CONFERENCE.
EVERY TEAM WAS ALL CONFERENCING IN THE SCHOOL.
EVERY SPORT, BETTY, SHE WAS ON THE SOFTBALL TEAM.
BUT MY, MY, MY QUESTION IS THIS, WELL LET ME, LET ME HIT WITH, WITH BARBARA.
I THINK WHAT SHE WAS ASKING IS WHAT I USED TO DO WITH MY TEAMS, UM, AT THE RECREATION CENTER, OUR CONTACT EAST CAROLINA USED A UNIVERSITY OR CAROLINA OR SOMEBODY LIKE THAT.
AND I ASKED FOR CERTAIN NUMBER TICKETS FOR ALL MY TEAM PLAYERS.
SO WE TOOK THE BOYS AND GIRLS FREE TO WATCH THE GAME.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, UH, NOT JUST CLINICS, BUT IT MAY BE SOME KIDS OR THEIR PARENTS THAT CAN'T AFFORD AT ALL.
SO I THINK WHAT, WHAT SHE'S SAYING, CAN YOU GET 'EM IN WITHOUT A FEE? THAT'S WHAT SHE'S SAYING THAT THAT'S PART OF IT RIGHT THERE.
MY LAST THING IS THIS, BECAUSE IT IS A HISTORIC PARK AND IT WAS A MINORITY, UH, UH, UH, SEMI, I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO GET WITH A GROUP OF THOSE GUYS LIKE MR. WHITE OR MR. PICKETT, UH, UH, PANTHER, GET 'EM TOGETHER.
I KNOW YOU KEEP SAYING THE PARK WRECK, I KNOW YOU GOTTA GO THROUGH THEM AND THE CITY OF NEW VERN.
BUT ALSO I THINK YOU NEED TO GET WITH A GROUP OF GUYS, GIVE SOME IDEAS OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THAT PARK, WHAT IT MEAN, WHAT IT STAND FOR.
BECAUSE I KEPT HEARING YOU SAY DOWNTOWN OR DOWNTOWN, BUT WE ARE PART OF DOWNTOWN AND UPTOWN.
SO I DON'T WANT THE COMMUNITY TO FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GONNA BE LEFT OUT BECAUSE THE MONEY IS GONNA COME FROM BOTH WAYS.
SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, SIR.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT, UH, EVERYBODY ON MY SIDE WILL DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
WE WILL BE HAVING MEETINGS WITH EVERYBODY INVOLVED, UH, FROM DOWNTOWN AND UPTOWN ON HOW WE CAN MAKE THAT A, A BALLPARK FOR EVERYBODY TO ENJOY.
MY DAD PLAYED BOTH THE PAPER PARK, BUT HE ALSO PLAYED IN THE MINOR LEAGUES, UH, BEHIND WHAT IS NOW THE GEORGE STREET RECREATION CENTER THAT PLAYED TWO GAMES A NIGHT IN THE SUMMER.
YOU WENT TO ALL THE GAMES EVERY NIGHT, REGARDLESS OF WHO WAS WAS PLAYED.
HE PLAYED FOR THE CHICAGO CS EVANGEL LEAGUE AND HE COACHED FOR 38 YEARS.
SO I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BASEBALL, BUT THE ONE THING THAT IT ALWAYS WAS, AND VERN IS IT WAS FAMILY FRIENDLY.
THERE WASN'T ANY ALCOHOL INVOLVED.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE IN IT TO MAKE MONEY, BUT LIKE YOU, I LIVE AT THE OTHER END OF NET CAP STREET SCREENING.
SO EVEN THOUGH A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT TAKE PLACE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA ARE NOT NECESSARILY ON MY BLOCK, WHETHER IT'S OVERFLOW PARKING OR WHATEVER, WE DO GET THE RESULTS FROM THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INTOXICATED AND YOU DON'T WANT THAT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD EVEN POSSIBLY CONSIDER IS NOT HAVING ALCOHOL THERE AND MAKING IT MORE FAMILY FRIENDLY.
SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT I, UH, ASK YOU TO CONSIDER.
UH, THE OTHER THING IS, I NOTICED YOU WERE GOING TO DO CONCERTS AND EVENTS.
DIDN'T YOU SAY YOU WERE LOOKING AT GETTING LIKE A THOUSAND PEOPLE INTO TAYLOR PARK.
WOULD THAT BE THE SAME FOR CONCERTS OR WOULD IT BE LARGER GROUPS THAN THAT? SO FOR YOUR FIRST QUESTION ABOUT, UH, BEER SALES, I'VE HEARD THAT QUESTION A LOT.
UM, WHENEVER I GO TO SPEAK AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND WHATNOT, UM, ONE THING THAT WE ALWAYS DO IS WE KEEP IT, WE TRY TO KEEP IT CONFINED TO A CERTAIN AREA, UH, TO KEEP IT UNDER WRAPS.
WE ALSO TYPICALLY CREATE SOME TYPE OF SYSTEM WHERE WE CAN LIMIT THE CONSUMPTION, WHETHER THAT BE A FEW DRINKS OR WHATNOT.
ONE THING THAT WE'VE SEEN, UH, AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN 100%.
ONE THING THAT WE'VE SEEN IS THAT
[00:45:01]
THAT IS A WAY TO GET SOME FAMILIES INTO THE BALLPARK IS SOME FAMILIES DO JUST WANT TO GO HAVE A CASUAL DRINK.AND THAT'S NORMALLY WHAT IT IS.
UM, IN REGARDS TO, UH, WHAT, WHAT WAS YOUR FOLLOW UP QUESTION? WHAT WAS YOUR OTHER QUESTION? UM, IT HAD TO DO CONCERTS.
BECAUSE THE SAME THING, THEY OFTEN HAVE CONCERTS, WHETHER IT'S AT TRY AND PALACE OR UNION POINT.
AND SO AGAIN, IT'S NOT SO MUCH THE VENUE THAT THEY'RE AT, IT'S AFTER THEY LEAVE.
UH, WE FREQUENTLY HAVE PROBLEMS IN AN ADJACENT PARKING LOT WHERE PEOPLE ARE INTOXICATED.
THEY, THEY COME THERE AND THEN THEY PARTY, THEY FIGHT AND YOU KNOW, SO IT'S NOT TAKING PLACE AT POTENTIALLY SOMEPLACE LIKE YOURS, BUT BECAUSE OF THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES IT STILL HAPPENS ELSEWHERE.
UM, SO IN REGARDS TO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE, YEAH, A THOUSAND PEOPLE, WHATEVER WE CAN, UH, FOR FIRE CODES AND WHATNOT, WHATEVER WE CAN HAVE IN THERE IS THE MAX OF WHAT WE'LL HAVE FOR ANY OF THEM IN REGARDS OF BASEBALL OR CONCERTS.
UH, WE WOULD STILL INSTITUTE THOSE SAME TYPES OF POLICIES THAT WE WOULD HAVE FOR BASEBALL GAMES IN TERMS OF LIMITING CONSUMPTION.
NOW I KNOW THAT THE ARGUMENT THROUGH THAT IS WHAT ABOUT BEFORE THEY GET THERE AND WHATNOT.
SO THE BEST THING THAT WE CAN DO IS WHEN WE HAVE SECURITY OUT THERE AT THE BALLPARK, IS WHEN THEY NOTICE PROBLEMS, THEY ESCORT THEM OUT BEFORE THEY EVEN GET TO THE END OF THE GAME, UM, TO LIMIT THEIR CONSUMPTION INSIDE OF THE BALLPARK.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERS, THAT'S THE BEST ANSWER THAT I CAN GIVE YOU AND I HOPE THAT THAT ANSWERS IT.
I HAVE KIND A LITTLE BIT OF A FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
I SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN, UH, NEW COUNTY AND BRUNSWICK COUNTY AND SEVERAL OF THE CITIES THERE.
THEY HAVE A NO REENTRY POLICY BECAUSE OF ALCOHOL.
SO ONCE YOU, YOU KNOW, ENTERED, YOU CAN'T COME BACK IN IF, IF YOU LEAVE WITHOUT BUYING ANOTHER TICKET.
AND THAT'S PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THE ALCOHOL ISSUE.
YEAH, THAT'S A, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE NEVER DONE BEFORE, BUT SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER BECAUSE, UH, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY ISSUES YET.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE WON'T BE AN ISSUE IN THE FUTURE AND UH, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER FOR SURE.
WELL THEY DO CONCERTS AND SPORTING EVENTS, BUT NO MATTER WHAT, YOU KNOW, YOU COME IN, YOU DON'T GO BACK OUT AND THE SAME THING THEY MAKE, YOU ONLY CARRY LIKE CLEAR, A CLEAR PLASTIC BAG OF A CERTAIN SIZE SIZE, UH, SO THAT IT JUST KEEPS EVERYTHING REALLY SIMPLE.
THAT'S JUST VERIFYING AGAIN, WE'RE NOT GETTING A TEAM AND WE'RE GETTING A FACILITY.
NO, A TEAM WILL BE COMING HERE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A TEAM IF IT'S APPROVED.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS, YOU KNOW, LIVING IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH A WHOLE PROCESS TO BE SURE WHAT WE DO TO THE OUTSIDE LOOKS APPROPRIATE.
SO I'M WONDERING ABOUT THAT FENCE.
WHAT, HOW HIGH IS THAT FENCE GONNA BE AND WHAT IS THAT FENCE GONNA BE MADE OUT OF AND DOES IT HAVE TO GO TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION TO GET APPROVED AND COULD IT BE MADE TO LOOK LIKE 1935 OR SOMETHING WHEN IT WAS BUILT? SO I CAN YOU MAINTAIN THE HISTORIC ATMOSPHERE IN YOUR CONSTRUCTION? I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THE ANSWER THAT YOU WANT.
'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION, BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS WE WILL TRY TO KEEP THE CHARACTER OF THE BALLPARK THERE.
THAT'S WHAT ATTRACTED US TO THE BALLPARK.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO COME IN AND CHANGE THAT CHARACTER BY ANY MEANS NECESSARILY.
I THINK THERE IS ALSO BEAR VERY SACRED SYMMETRY RIGHT THERE ON BOTH SIDE OF THE STREET.
DON'T WANT PEOPLE OVERFLOWING INTO THAT.
WE, UH,
AND I'M USUALLY A CASE IN THIS TOWN.
MY NAME'S DICK WAGNER AND I'VE BEEN IN THOUSAND 1961.
I CAME HERE IN THE MARINE CORPS.
MY TWO SONS WERE RAISED UP HERE.
THE PAPERS MADE WERE STRONG, THEY WAS REALLY STRONG.
[00:50:01]
NOW IT'S ALL CHURCH LAKE FOLKS AND NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT BECAUSE THE YOUNG PEOPLE GOTTA GET STARTED SOMEWHERE.BUT THAT BIG GROUP LEAGUE, A LOT OF PEOPLE PLAYED THAT BIG GROUP LEAGUE AND MR. SMITH, HE WAS RIGHT HERE WITH US AT THAT TIME.
BUT YOU CAN SEE BERT, IT IS GOT DIFFERENT IDEAS DOWN.
IF YOU SEE A STORE CLOSE UP, A BAR OPENS UP, IF A BAR DOESN'T GO IN IT, YOU GOT AT THE BACK SHOP, YOU GOTTA 'EM EVERYWHERE YOU GO.
BUT YOU ONLY SEE WHAT CAR THERE AT A TIME.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT WE NEED SOMETHING LIKE THIS BASEBALL TEAM COMING BACK TO HIM.
THE GENERAL IS SITTING OVER HERE.
HE'S 66 YEARS OLD, STILL PLAYING BASEBALL.
THEY GOT THE SENIOR LEAGUES AND SO FORTH.
BUT WE NEED SOMETHING HERE NOW LIKE YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.
AND I KNOW PEOPLE WANT TO DRINK BEER WHEN THEY GO TO THE BALLPARK, SO FORTH LIKE THAT TO GO OFF AND YOU GO TO A HOCKEY GAME OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, AND BEER, $9 A SERVICE AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT IF YOU CAN GET AWAY FROM HAVING ALL OF THAT, YOU'D BE DOING GOOD, BUT YOU GOTTA MAKE MONEY SOME WAY.
BUT I THINK IT'LL BE NICE FOR THAT TEAM TO BE FORMED IN THIS CITY BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORY IN THAT PARK, UH, WHEN THE COASTAL PLAYING LEAGUE PLAYED, UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM THIS AREA AND PEOPLE CAME IN THIS AREA TO PLAY THERE.
SO GOOD LUCK WITH THE BOARD OF ALL.
ANYBODY ELSE? GRACE? LORD, MY NAME IS ETHEL SAMPSON, I'M MINISTER AND I, I DON'T HAVE ANY, I BELIEVE IN UNITY AND I, I CAN GO BACK 84 YEARS THEN I WAS SIX YEARS OLD IN
SEE, UH, TELL HER WHILE WE BE WE WHEELCHAIR TED ANDY, THEN HER RAH RAH, THE OLD NORTH STATE FOREVER.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU THIS RIGHT HERE.
PEOPLE UP STREET, THE PASTOR PAST DON'T LIVE IN THE PAST.
BUT IT WASN'T FOR A PAST, IT WOULDN'T BE A PRESENT AND IT WASN'T FOR A PRESENT, IT WOULDN'T BE A FUTURE.
BUT I WAS JUST THINKING OF IN THE OLD DAYS WHEN I WAS COMING UP FOR SOME REASON OR ANOTHER, THEY ALWAYS SAID THAT CABLE PARK WAS THE BLACK PEOPLE'S PARK, WHAT YOU ALWAYS SAID, AND I REMEMBER AND THE NEW GRAND GIANTS.
BUT I SAW IT ON THE PAPER WHERE IT SAID STUFF BY NEW GRAND GIANTS UP THERE ON THE SCREENING.
BUT WHAT'S THE POINT IN TIME? THEY USED TO CALL ME THE QUEEN OF THE NEW BERNIE JOHNSON BECAUSE I COULD SELL A WHOLE LOT OF TICKETS AND WE HAD A REAL GOOD TIME.
HE HAD A UNCLE IN-LAW TO CALL THE NAME SOME, SOME OF THESE OLDER PEOPLE MIGHT KNOW HIM.
HIS NAME WAS, THEY CALLED HIM, HIS NAME WAS WILLIAM BARRETT, BUT THEY CALLED HIM WILL STILL BECAUSE HE WAS STEAL IT AND HE COULD STEP IN A BASE IN A MINUTE.
BUT LET ME TELL YOU, I REMEMBER THE TIME WHEN THE BAY ROOF WOULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE BLACK KIDS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY DID.
BUT, BUT THE CHILDREN USED TO GO AWAY IN SUNNYSIDE AND THE WHITE BOYS AND THE BLACK BOYS HAD A GOOD TIME TOGETHER.
WE HAD A VERY, VERY GOOD TIME.
AND I REMEMBER PAGE CAME HERE AND ALSO THOSE, THOSE GLOBE, GLOBE TRY.
OTHER PEOPLE CAME HERE AND WE HAD A VERY GOOD TIME.
BUT WHAT I WANTED TO KNOW, HOW DO WE FIT IN? BECAUSE I, I HAVE ONE OF THESE PAPERS I ALREADY FILLED MINE OUT.
SO I WAS SAYING HOW DO, HOW DID THE BLACKS FIT IN? BECAUSE, BECAUSE YOU SEE, I MEAN, I'M LISTEN TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT WHEN YOU REALLY, YOU CAN REALLY DOMINATE THE PROBLEMS. TRUE.
BUT, BUT I WANT US TO HAVE A PART IN IT TOO.
SO AS I SAID EARLIER, UH, MY PRIORITY IN WHAT I DO BEYOND NEWBERG
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OR BEYOND ANY TOWN IS GROW THE GAME OF BASEBALL WITH THE YOUTH, INCLUDING THE AFRICAN AMERICAN YOUTH.I, I BELIEVE THE MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL HAS NOT DONE ENOUGH TO GROW THE GAME OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
I THINK THEY'VE DONE PROBABLY THE OPPOSITE.
AND SO FROM MY POSITION AND THE LITTLE POWER THAT I HAVE, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO DO.
I WANT TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS TO BE ABLE TO GROW THE GAME.
UM, AND, AND THAT'S MY COMMITMENT THAT MY GROUP WILL WORK WITH EVERYBODY TO TRY TO GROW THEIR GAME IN THE YOUTH AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND IN THE CAUCASIAN COMMUNITY.
SO I'M GONNA JUMP ON WHAT WAS JUST SAID ACTUALLY.
SO I'VE BEEN COACHING YOUTH FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS IN THIS AREA.
ONE OF 'EM IS 25, THE YOUNGEST IS 15.
UH, I'VE BEEN COACHING BASEBALL, BUT ABOUT FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO, WE ACTUALLY USED TO RUN A PROGRAM AT CA FOR PARK THAT WAS THROUGH THE POLICE STATION.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS FREE FOR EVERYBODY TO COME IN.
UH, WE GOT DONATIONS OF BATS AND GLOVES AND WE RAN THAT.
SO IT WAS, IT WAS OPEN TO ANYONE, BUT IT WAS DONE RIGHT THERE SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS THE MINORITY COMMUNITY IN THAT AREA.
UM, IT JUST SLOWLY FADED AWAY.
PEOPLE JUST STARTED, STOPPED SHOWING UP, BUT I JUST, IT WASN'T PART OF A BIGGER THING IS WHAT IT WAS.
IT WAS LIKE EVERY SATURDAY MORNING WE WOULD JUST GET OUT THERE.
UH, AND IT WAS A GREAT THING AND WE GOT A LOT OF KIDS INVOLVED.
AND ACTUALLY ONE OF THE PLAYERS HAS ACTUALLY BEEN PLAYING FOR ME FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW.
HE DIDN'T, HE HAD NEVER PICKED UP A BALL IN HIS LIFE AND NOW HE'S ACTUALLY PLAYING ON ONE OF MY TRAVEL BASEBALL TEAMS THAT I HAVE.
SO, UM, IT, IT, IT'S DEFINITELY GONNA BE A BIG PART OF WHAT GOES ON WITH THIS TEAM BECAUSE SPECIFICALLY THE LOCATION, BUT IN THE BIGGER PICTURE, BASEBALL IS A SPORT THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED ON A BIGGER SCALE.
SO IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GET UP TO THE MAJORS, THERE'S A LOT BIGGER MIX IN DIVERSITY AND IT'S NOT ADDRESSED AS MUCH IN THE BERU LEAGUE AND THE CALVERTON LEAGUES THAT ARE AROUND HERE.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S A PERFECT WAY TO DO THAT.
UH, WHO, WHO'S GONNA MAINTAIN THAT FIELD? CURRENT, CURRENT STAFF, PARTS OF RED GUYS WE'VE TALKED, WE HAVEN'T NOT DECIDED YET ON THAT.
I WOULD KIND OF PREFER THAT OUR STAFF DOES IF THE PARKS WILL LET US.
DO WE HAVE A NAME FOR OUR TEAM? YEAH, I WAS GONNA ASK THAT TOO.
SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL DO A, A NIGHT THEME CONTEST IF EVERYTHING IS APPROVED, UH, AND, AND THEN WORK WITH THE CITY AND OTHER GROUPS TO KIND OF PROMOTE THAT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
AND THEN WE'LL TAKE SOME SUBMISSIONS AND THEN LET EVERYBODY VOTE ON IT.
MY LAST COMMENT WOULD BE STANLEY WHITE WAS MY FATHER.
AND, UH, I CAN'T SEPARATE STANLEY WHITE FROM K FOR PARK, UH, JUNE 20TH, 1971 ON A FATHER'S DAY WHILE PREPARING FOR A GAME, HE WAS ACCIDENTALLY DECEASED BY ELECTRICITY.
HIS BLOOD IS ON THAT FIELD AT THAT PARK.
AND I TAKE THE CHALLENGE TO DO MY PART AS WELL AS YOU TO EXTEND HIS LEGACY ALONG WITH, UH, PROMOTING BASEBALL, THE GAME OF BASEBALL.
BECAUSE THOUGH BASEBALL IS A SPORT, I SEE IT AS A VEHICLE THAT BUILD CHARACTER AND DEVELOP YOUTH AND YOUNG PEOPLE.
IT WAS HOW MY LIFE WAS FRAMED AND DEVELOPED.
SO I'M IN THIS AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING AND WE SUPPORT YOU.
NOW I'D LIKE TO RESPOND TO YOUR STATEMENT THERE THAT HIS BLOOD IS ON THE FIELD, HIS EYES ARE ON THE WALL, HE'S ON THE MURAL THERE THAT WAS PAINTED.
THAT'S STANLEY WHITE LOOKING OVER THE WHOLE SITUATION THERE.
AND YOU GOT BOOKERS ON THERE TOO.
YOU GOT SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT PLAYED WITH THE GIANTS PAINTING ON THAT WALL.
I'M DOUG AMERSON, I'M THE COMMISSIONER OF THE E C A B L THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY PLAYING THERE RIGHT NOW.
UH, WE CAME IN FIVE YEARS AGO AND UM, TOOK OVER THE FIELD AND WE MADE A FEW IMPROVEMENTS TO IT.
THIS WHOLE ASPECT HERE, THE IDEAS THAT HE IS PUT UP ON PRESENTATION OF SOME THAT WE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD OF
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ALTMAN FIVE YEARS AGO, SAME THINGS EXCEPT FOR THE PEER GUARD.IT WE'RE ALMOST EXACTLY ON, ON THE SAME PAGE THERE.
AND WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS PART BUILT UP LIKE THAT.
UM, AND WE ARE GOING TO, UH, BE IN A PARTNERSHIP AND SOME OF THE THINGS, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE SAID THAT YOU HAD CONCERNS ABOUT, OUR LEAGUE IS GOING TO TAKE OVER AND DO SOME THINGS WE'RE GOING TO HELP THEM OUT WITH WITH COMMUNITY STUFF AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO IT, IT IS NOT JUST THEIR WORD, IT IS ALSO OUR WORK AND THE WAY WE GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY FOR ALLOWING US TO BE THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
BUT YEAH, STANLEY WHITE, HE'S VERY MUCH A PART OF THAT, PART OF HIS EYES ARE PAINTED RIGHT THERE ON THAT WALL.
DOES YOUR GROUP CURRENTLY DO ANYTHING FOR THE YOUTH? AT THE MOMENT WE ARE IN DISCUSSIONS WITH MAKING SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPEN.
I HAVE PROMISED CARRIE THAT WE WOULD START DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND SO WE'RE, OUR BOARD IS, IS HAVING DISCUSSIONS ON WHAT WE CAN DO.
WE HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING YET, EXCEPT WE TAKE OVER, WE TOOK OVER TWO PEOPLE HERE THAT COME TO THE BALLPARK ALL THE TIME AND WE JUST KIND OF HAVE WRAPPED THEM UP IN THINGS, BUT NOT A WHOLE GROUP YET.
DON'T LET DOUG, UM, CONVINCE ME HE HAS.
SO I HAVE MY ONE SON, HE ACTUALLY, UM, PLAYED WITH YOU BY DOGS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
HE WAS ACTUALLY A LACROSSE PLAYER.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS WERE THE START.
BUT DOUG AND THE GUYS ARE THE, THE FEEDER TO WHERE HE IS AND HE'S GONNA BE PLAYING FOR LENORE THIS COMING FALL.
UM, SO THE LEAGUE HAS SUPPORTED THE YOUTH WITHOUT THAT LEAGUE, IAN, WOULD THAT BE WHERE HE'S GOING TODAY? SO DON'T LET DOUG THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, HE HAS NOT TWO KIDS HAVE CAME OUT OF THAT LEAGUE GOING TO PLAY COLLEGE BALL.
SO IT'S ALL ABOUT DOUG FOR SURE.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? WELL, THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR COMING DOWN TONIGHT.
UH, IT WAS AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO HELP MAYBE CLEAR SOME AIR AND ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS.
SO, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY GETTING THE SCENE ACROSS THE FINISH LINE AND BRING THE BASEBALL HERE NEXT TIME.