Regina City council is conducting a study that could lead to $10 million tax dollars being spent on a new ballpark, the CBC reports.The idea was first advanced in 2021 by the Regina Red Sox of the Western Canadian Baseball League and entrepreneur Alan Simpson. That year council rejected supporting a $100,000 study on the proposal. Last year, a new stadium was rejected as a "catalyst project" due to the "seasonal nature" of an outdoor ballpark..Regina’s $25 million field of dreams inches forward.The Regina Red Sox currently play at Currie Field, a stadium that is more than 60 years old and in need of repair, with one of the men leading the charge for a new field calling it "decrepit." "There's an opportunity here…to not kick the can down the road but to pick the ball up and run with it in a tangible way," said Alan Simpson, founder of Living Sky Sports Entertainment Inc., which has partnered with the Red Sox on getting a new stadium off the ground. On Wednesday, council approved a plan to fund the study in an 8-2 vote. Only Ward 8 Coun. Shanon Zachidniak and Ward 6 Coun. Dan LeBlanc voting against the motion put forward by Mayor Sandra Masters. Masters had been approached by Simpson and Ward 2 Coun. Bob Hawkins about bringing the motion to council. The creation of a new stadium aligns with the City of Regina's plans for parks and recreation."When there is a possibility of partnership for things that we know are aged and at end of life, or close to end of life … we [should] seize those opportunities and move them forward in the best, most responsible way we can," said Masters. Wednesday's vote means council has directed administration to enter into a long-term lease agreement with the Regina Red Sox for Currie Field with an acknowledgement that the Red Sox will be reimbursed for capital costs required to upgrade the stadium. The City of Regina will also fund half the cost of a study by DCG Philanthropic. This "case for support" study will look for potential sources for donations, sponsorships and philanthropic funds in hopes of getting more than $5 million for the stadium.If the support meets or exceeds that target, the City of Regina will provide a minimum investment of $2.5 million in ten annual payments. However, the motion allows for spending of up to $10 million. The financial commitments are subject to council's approval of the case for support study. "This is not a motion about building a baseball field, it's a motion about creating an opportunity to explore the possibility of building a baseball field," said Hawkins. Masters said that study is likely to be finished by September but won't be discussed until after the municipal election in November. One of the requirements in the motion is that the new stadium be built on the former Taylor Field lands or on The Yards, a piece of land located between Casino Regina and Dewdney Avenue that has sat empty since CP Rail moved its rail yard in 2012. The Red Sox say there are a number of issues with its current home, including: The field's washroom facilities operate off a septic tank system that cannot keep up with park usage.Currie Field's 1,200-person capacity is too small, and current bleachers are not up to code.The dimensions of the right field do not meet Baseball Canada's standards.Substandard infrastructure, including the concession, backstop, fencing and ticketing infrastructure.A single dressing room for both teams.Those issues must be addressed or the Red Sox could be suspended from the Western Major Baseball League, the team says. Simpson said the park would be available to the community when it is not being used by the team. In 2021, he told reporters the Yards were ideally suited for his $23 million park design. Reclamation costs for the land would be less for a baseball park than other purposes and the outfield would fit just inside the curve of the railroad tracks. Also, the location is across a strip of bars and restaurants on Dewdney avenue.
