Investment in upgrades to Joe O’Brien Field locker rooms and stadium seating was the last subject discussed at Tuesday’s budget workshop with Elizabethon City Councilmen and department directors. If added to the budget proposal, it would also be the most costly for either the city or a combination of the city and local investors.

But Elizabethton Parks and Recreation Director Mike Mains said Elizabethton stands to either gain a significant investment in its Minor League Baseball team, or potentially to lose the team altogether.

After three meetings with Major League Minnesota Twins administration, including one visit from the President, Mains said the team wants to invest 33 percent of the cost to upgrade the locker rooms and seating, with its priorities set on locker room renovation.

City Manager Jerome Kitchens said the cost to upgrade the locker rooms would not totally utilize all the funding offered by the Twins — $594,000.

“If we take their full amount, we could go ahead and do seating, and it will cost of $1.5 million,” Kitchens said.

While Mains said the field, concession stand, restrooms and lighting are in great condition, he said the seating is lacking, and the locker room is outdated and inadequate. The locker room is the Minnesota Twins’ main concern, he said.

Players come from various universities and even from other countries, he said, including Germany, Australia, Dominican Republic, Japan and from all over the states.

Kitchens summarized the state of affairs. He said the Twins want to know that there is local investment and value in the Minor League presence. He said they don’t want to spend money and then to have Elizabethton decide to discontinue participation.

“The Twins started looking at the facility really hard, and I’d say part of it is because the surrounding stadiums,” Kitchens said. “There’s been a lot of money invested from various people,” Kitchens said. “They said, ‘The condition of your main locker room as it is now is not acceptable, and if you don’t do something, we’re going to leave.’ That’s pretty much the way they put it.”

Kitchens said the city has made investments to the stadium, but it has been in small amounts.

“In the past, we’ve always made back expenses in revenue,” Kitchens said.

Kitchens said the budget for capital costs, laid out in its current state for 2017, is “maxed out.”

“If you want to do more, something has to come out,” Kitchens said.

He said they may be able to borrow the money, but that could interfere with borrowing money for investments like the Police Department Expansion.

“There’s where we are,” Kitchens said. “We’re not talking about shutting down the stadium. The high school will still be able to play there. We’re talking about whether or not going to keep a Minor League team.”

Kitchens said they thought they had a donor and have sought others, but none have thus far offered support.

“We need somebody to step up and help us do that,” said Kitchens.

The condition of the field is not from neglect, Mains said. Kitchens agreed, that it is just the fact that baseball is growing along with expectations of players and teams.

“This is just the natural progression from baseball becoming such a big business at the college level, that when they come here, the Minnesota Twins feel they have such an investment in their employees — these baseball players — that they want the full package, which is the locker room facilities.”

Mains said the major thing to take away from this is that no one does this.

“Major league folks don’t put it back into their communities, but that’s been going on for us for years,” said Mains. “They helped fund the outfield wall, they built the batting cage facility and helped pay for that.”

Mains said the investment they make in the Elizabethton community is “unheard of.”
“Seven of the players on the Minnesota Twins starting lineup played here, and less than five of them within the last four or five years,” Mains said. “So the caliber of players is really incredible.”

He said the players are also closely involved with the community and are regarded as celebrities at community events and they inspire young people at baseball clinics. The Elizabethton Twins are one of 160 Minor League Teams in the nation. Mains said they have been featured in numerous magazines and already create a strong draw for tourism.

Though they play two and half months out of the year, he said Elizabethton High School’s baseball teams, sometimes two or three, play on the field for ten months. He said the popularity of the Elizabethton Twins has a direct economic impact by bringing in tourism dollars, which is also a factor in attracting hotels to the area.

According to a study measuring the economic impact of park and recreation services by the National Recreation and Park Association, tourism depends on attractions.

“Primary attractions are sports, tournaments, festivals, parks and major facilities operated by parks and recreation departments,” the study stated.

The decision to make the commitment and investment and to locate the funding will be made in coming months by City Councilmen. Mains said he knows it will be a difficult decision, but making the investment will be the right one in the long run.

“Hopefully we can find somebody that believes in what we do, and in this particular program,” Mains said. “But I don’t want our citizens to feel as if this is our main focus, because it’s not,” Mains said. “We’ve got all kinds of things that we want to take care of, that we want to do, and programs — that’s what we believe in. This is just a part of it, but we have to speak up for those fans, families and the seniors and the kids that come not only for games, because if it’s gone, it’s gone.”