|
The new home of the Omaha Royals will offer fans an intimate baseball experience. Tickets will be at a premium with a capacity of 6,000 permanent seats. There will also be approximately 15 private suites in addition to berm seating and other amenities in the outfield areas.
The ballpark will be located near 126th Street and Nebraska Highway 370.
Fans will enter the stadium above the main grandstand. Concessions, restrooms and souvenir stands will be in full view of the field, so that fans won't miss any of the on-the-field action.
The ballpark and parking facilities will be located on approzimately 30 acres of land in the middle of a family entertainment district that is expected to include hotels, shopping, restaurants and recreational activities.
The playing field will be laid out in the tradition of most ballparks, with home plate in the southwest corner and the stands facing northeast. The backdrop will be a blend of the rural and urban landscape of one of the fastest-growing areas of the state.
In a relatively short amount of time, a dream is becoming a reality. Two dreams, really.
Sarpy County officials had been talking about the possibility of building an entertainment district, possibly including a baseball stadium; the Omaha Royals, faced with the possibility of losing Rosenblatt Stadium, were interested in a smaller venue.
In January of 2008, Sarpy County Administrator Mark Wayne had a chance meeting with Royals President Alan Stein in the Memphis airport. They talked about ballparks and possibilities; about what the future could hold for each. They brainstormed and they promised to keep in touch.
A year later, the Royals and the county moved closer together in planning for a new stadium. The Royals wanted a small, intimate ballpark, where tickets would be a premium and a fan-friendly, family atmosphere would prevail. The county wanted an attraction to anchor its family entertainment district. Kermit Brashear, the negotiator for the county, helped assemble the pieces of the puzzle.
With several alternatives for financing available, the dreams began to merge, and a ballpark began to emerge. In early spring of 2009, the Royals and the county reached an agreement for a 25-year lease.
A list of possible sites were narrowed and, finally, late in May, a 31-acre plot was donated by developer Roger Langpaul to the county. The site, near 126th Street and Nebraska Highway 370, was approved by the County Board and endorsed by the Royals. In August, 2009, a groundbreaking ceremony at the site attracted over 400 people, including Warren Buffett and Hall of Fame baseball players Bob Gibson and George Brett.
|
