Field of Dreams

[Coyote]

Dreaming Of Fields
Group to propose new baseball complex

It could be an economic homerun for a small town, but a proposed youth baseball complex in Cass County also has its hecklers.

The proposed $6 million, 160-acre youth baseball complex is designed to draw 60 teams to Cedar Creek each week during the summer. Tuesday night, investors planned to pitch their proposal to the town board.

Running weekly tournaments from June to August, the Omaha Baseball Village would be for 10 to 14-year-old players. They would be able to bunk in houses near the 14 fields.

[Brad]

Great get for western Cass County. 60 teams a WEEK!

[Brad]

Why is "C a s s" County a bad word

[Admin]

Sorry - let me change that. Take the C out of the county name and you will understand. My bad.

[Admin]

Changed. Cass permitted. Again.

[Brad]

I thought it was funny, it kept saying |expletive| county

[Stargazer]

Latest: http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=163 ... nd=1798484

Chad Jennings, a Utah baseball coach and one of the investors in the Omaha Baseball Village, has received key permit approval from elected officials in Cedar Creek to proceed with spring construction of a dozen competition ball diamonds.

Next summer, Jennings wants to offer a limited, three-week schedule, coinciding with the College World Series at Omaha's Rosenblatt Stadium.

In future years, the privately run sports venue would be open June through August to youth baseball teams, traveling squads and all-star teams with players ages 10 to 14.

About 770 teams would come from across the country to Cedar Creek for weeklong tournaments. Teams would stay in barracks-style housing on the secured complex, able to accommodate 1,000 to 1,400 players and coaches at one time.

[OmahaJaysCU]

Such a dumb location, Cedar Creek could not be any more difficult to get to.

[Brad]

While it may be out of the way, its not that bad. I80 to highway 50 -- Highway 50 to Highway 66 -- Highway 66 to 144th Street.

However its not like teams are going to be coming and going everyday from the complex, they are going to stay on premises.

[OmahaJaysCU]

I'm just upset because i have a cabin in the once peaceful town of cedar creek...

[Brad]

I'm just upset because i have a cabin in the once peaceful town of cedar creek...

You and 200 other cabins around what 5 lakes? The Complex is not in town, and I don't think its going to be close enough to create a problem for the town.

[OmahaJaysCU]

Nope not on those lakes, different, area but still in town. Not many know about it actually

[Coyote]

Baseball village gets 'go' sign

Chad Jennings, a key investor in the project from Utah, attended the College World Series years ago to watch his son play. Both noticed the “sub-par” condition of area ballfields, and Jennings said his son suggested that it would be great if a Cooperstown-type baseball camp could be built near Omaha.

Plans for Omaha Baseball Village were presented to the Cedar Creek Village Board last October. After a public hearing and planning commission review, the board approved the project in November, said village clerk Mary Terry. The public hearing drew a large crowd, she said, and residents were about evenly divided on the issue. In December, the village board voted 4-1 to issue a conditional use permit for 20 years. Voting for the project were: Gwen Bode, Dave Rydl, Bob Ford and Dan Muntz. Pam Swenson voted no.

The owners will need to obtain additional permits before they can proceed with the project. Thiellen said they need a permit for some type of on-site sanitary sewer system from the state Department of Environmental Quality and a well-drilling permit from the Papio-Missouri Natural Resources District.

[icejammer]

Investors for a $6 million complex appear to reject Cedar Creek

Investors who had planned to build a $6 million youth baseball complex in this small Platte River resort town are pitching their project elsewhere.

Last fall, Cedar Creek gave the sports venue a fast-track approval because the Utah-based investors wanted to host youth baseball tournaments in conjunction with the 2007 College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha in mid-June.

But no dirt work ever started at the 160-acre parcel of farmland that the group had an option to buy from Bill Metzger, who also owns Mad Cow Paint Ball in Cedar Creek.

Cedar Creek officials have not spoken with the investors in the past four months, and it looks like developers now are turning to Missouri Valley, Iowa.

Too bad for Cedar Creek, but good for Mo Valley.

[OmahaJaysCU]

Investors for a $6 million complex appear to reject Cedar Creek

Investors who had planned to build a $6 million youth baseball complex in this small Platte River resort town are pitching their project elsewhere.

Last fall, Cedar Creek gave the sports venue a fast-track approval because the Utah-based investors wanted to host youth baseball tournaments in conjunction with the 2007 College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha in mid-June.

But no dirt work ever started at the 160-acre parcel of farmland that the group had an option to buy from Bill Metzger, who also owns Mad Cow Paint Ball in Cedar Creek.

Cedar Creek officials have not spoken with the investors in the past four months, and it looks like developers now are turning to Missouri Valley, Iowa.

Too bad for Cedar Creek, but good for Mo Valley.

Great for both, Cedar Creek simply could not handle a project such as this, therefore the town will not have to suffer from it. Missouri Valley makes more sense anyway, anyone ever tried to drive to Cedar Creek? Not that simple...

[lpgforms]

Looks like this project may have found a home in Bellevue:
http://www.bellevueleader.com/site/tab3 ... 9852&rfi=6


It takes a village to raise the next generation of baseball players, and beginning next summer that village could be in Bellevue.

A group of six investors representing World Baseball Village has taken out an option on 270 acres south of Offutt Air Force Base, making it the largest youth baseball complex in the world, according to Chad Jennings, World Baseball Village director of baseball operations.

The land purchase was finalized Friday, and now the World Baseball Village goes before the Planning Commission on May 24 with an application for a special use permit.

World Baseball Village would occupy 160 of the 270 acres.

Jennings said World Baseball Village is patterned after a similar facility in Cooperstown, N.Y. The $10 million complex will consist of 12 lighted fields, and players and coaches will stay in the on-site International Players Village that features housing, two dining facilities plus numerous entertainment features.

[Coyote]

Baseball Village moving ahead despite concerns

A multimillion-dollar youth baseball complex got a positive nod from the Bellevue Planning Commission on Thursday, with the stipulations that developers keep neighboring landowners informed and that a traffic study be conducted in the area. Jason Thiellen of E&A Consulting in Omaha, who was representing the baseball developers, said his client will comply with all state and city regulations.

Plans call for the village, with an initial phase of 12 baseball fields, five softball fields and barracks-style housing for up to 1,100 players and coaches, to fill 160 acres of the 270-acre site, Thiellen said. The company hopes to have it finished by June 2008. The remainder of the site, he said, would be a city park that would include eight baseball-softball fields. Plans also call for the city's portion to have four soccer-football fields, a playground, splash park and a walking-biking trail.

The group's plan will go before the Bellevue City Council June 11, provided the conditions set by the Planning Commission are met.

[Brad]

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2 ... d=10060439

Also today, the council will consider granting a permit to allow construction of World Baseball Village near Offutt Air Force Base.

A group of Utah investors is planning the $10 million youth camp-type complex on 160 acres at Cunningham and Harlan Lewis Roads. The initial phase, which would open next May, would have 12 baseball fields, five softball fields and housing for up to 1,100 players and coaches.

The entire site is 270 acres. The rest would be a city park with baseball/softball and soccer/football fields, a playground, splash park and a trail

[Coyote]

World Baseball Village Coming To Bellevue

Bellevue's City Council on Monday night unanimously approved a special use permit for a World Baseball Village south of Offutt Air force Base.

[wmp]http://mfile.akamai.com/12910/wmv/vod.i ... 6.200k.asx[/wmp]

[MTO]

Now we just need to move the hall of fame here.

[Coyote]

The Bellevue City council again unanimously voted in support of this project and will help with a $ 3.5 mill bond. The say it could be up and running by next spring.

[Coyote]

Council to vote on baseball complex

KPTM announced that it was passed.

[Coyote]

Don't know how this was missed:

Bellevue softball complex opens

For anyone who wasn't aware of the three years of fits and starts, setbacks and compromises, and days when it looked like Bellevue's Cat Osterman Experience softball complex would never get off the ground, it was just another day at the park. Bellevue issued almost $4.5 million in bonds to finance the land purchase and construction. World Baseball Village will manage the facility and make the annual bond payments.

http://catsvillage.com/index.php/park

The exclusive Champions Village is a “players-only” area of the complex that includes:
•Air-conditioned Team Clubhouses
•The All-star Dining Pavilion
•Player’s Grill and Arcade
•Giant outdoor movie screen
•The Athlete’s Commons Area
•Warm-up area with Batting Cages
•Team Building courses
•24-Hour First-aid Station with Medical Staff on-site

The ‘Hall of Fame Fields’ that include: Meticulously groomed softball fields created specifically for girls fastpitch softball
•Covered spectator seating
•Mist cooled dugouts
•Individual team bullpens
•Bricked batters boxes and pitchers circles
•Diamond-Pro infield mix
•Web-broadcasts of your games displayed over the Internet

‘The Barn’ – our tournament headquarters that includes:
•Over 4,000 square feet of fun
•Pro-shop
•General Store
•Umpires Lounge
•Attached covered dining area
•Concessions room
•Arcade

The ‘U.S. Girls Softball Hall of Fame’ that includes:
•Ceremonial induction into the U.S. Girls Softball Hall of Fame (USGSHF)
•Receive the coveted USGSHF bracelet and pendant
•Team Plaque
•Individual and Team Pictures
•Archived web photos that can be accessed over the Internet
•Individual and Team Challenges that include:
•Fleet foot
•Homerun derby
•Around-the-horn
•Golden Arm

Family Entertainment that includes:
•3-story “Big Hippo” water slide
•Family night at the park
•Opening and Closing Ceremonies
•Family Barbecue

[DeWalt]

Sorry to play the role of Debbie Downer, but I just don't see how this is economically feasible.

Oh well...

[cdub]

Why in the world is this in Bellevue? I read her bio expecting to see a connection but if there is one I missed it.

[Brad]

Why in the world is this in Bellevue? I read her bio expecting to see a connection but if there is one I missed it.

I think Bellevue paid for some of the infrastructure.