courtesy of the Lake County Fielders
The City of Zion has announced that its construction of a planned multi-million dollar minor league baseball stadium is scheduled to begin next week. The stadium project is now worthy of a blockbuster major league trade announcement beginning with its new location on a 23-acre site at the NE corner of the Rt. 173 and Green Bay Road, gateway to Trumpet Park and the City of Zion. The "ballpark village" will include a year round multi-use development showcasing retail shops, multi-screen movie theatre, and restaurant.
The site of the project is currently commercially zoned vacant land with sewer, water, road, traffic, and power infrastructure already self-contained, allowing construction to commence immediately, in contrast to the former location. The city proactively pursued this new site on behalf of the 2010 baseball season. "The commercial appeal of this new location has attracted exciting new private investment allowing for the project to expand and it's really the premier home for this project for generations into the future" said Mayor Lane Harrison, "Plus, the addition of retail shops and a movie theatre will create an exciting year round entertainment and shopping atmosphere, more jobs in our community, and attract further development in the area."
The stadium will be home to the Northern League's Lake County Fielders, a minor league baseball team co-owned by Academy Award winner and baseball enthusiast Kevin Costner. The stadium will also contain a permanent concert stage, and a banquet facility that will be open all year.
"I applaud Mayor Harrison's long term vision for this project, and his uncompromising dedication to the quality of life for the residents in his community," said Fielders' President Rich Ehrenreich, "We've waited 20 years to see minor league baseball in Lake County, and it will all be worth the wait. "