Baseball back in the Capital City?!

[The_sandlapper]

Appearantly Columbia hasn't struck out professinal minor league baseball may very realistically be in the very near future of the Columbia region. Kahn developer of the village at sandhill is entertaining the idea of delivering professional baseball back to Columbia, and this time around it seems as though the city would not have to foot the bill (look up irony). Anyway here is the link to the article in the paper today.

Baseball is back

[The_sandlapper]

Sorry didn't see the post at the Village of sandhill site?

[StevenRocks]

Not to get us back on topic or anything...

There's an article in The State today about how developer Kahn wants to bring a minor league baseball stadium to the Village at Sandhill. IMO, not cool.

Read the article.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree. Living next to a baseball stadium woun't be very cool at all.

It would be better for a stadium to be constructed in Columbia for USC and a minor league team to share. It makes better economic sense.

[Spartan]

If they do it, they will have half a market. If I lived in Lexington or Irmo, I would not drive to Sandhill to watch a baseball game.

[krazeeboi]

I echo the councilmember who said,

[krazeeboi]

The latest from The State: Residents weigh proposed stadium.

Here are the telling excerpts from the article:

"Others say a stadium would forge an identity for a suburban area known as a hodgepodge of subdivisions and national chain retailers. They also see the baseball stadium as an economic engine, giving residents from outlying areas, such as Kershaw County and even Columbia

[waccamatt]

If Columbia gets another minor league baseball team they should play downtown. "Give people a reason to come to the suburbs"? Give me a break.

[Spartan]

I don't understand how anyone can be in support of this.

I read this article, and Khan has a very weak arguement. He had the tenacity to say "Other than the Inferno, we don

[The_sandlapper]

Here's a little more info about Kahn development trying to get minor league baseball back to Columbia. This time it seems as if the diamond jaxx are being courted to relocate again in the palmetto state.

I think the idea of having a AA team in Columbia will appeal more than having the single A team. I mean I'd be willing to check out a AA game for what it's worth. I also thinks it's good to keep the professionals away from USC since SC has clearly indicated there isn't enough room in DT Columbia for both of them. Plus with the rate that NE is growing I guess why not. Also if the team is given a regional name ("Midlands Sandlappers", refering to the ancient sandhills of the midlands maybe it can draw some supporters from Kershaw (obviously), Fairfield, Lee, Sumter, hell and even Florence?

Anyway I'd love to see AA ball in the capital city even without an ideal location?!

Baseball at the Village

[Charleston native]

I agree with most of the other posts here in that professional baseball should still be located in DT Cola. I recently just bought a house in NE, and I have to say that the current infrastructure barely supports the shopping centers and restaurants up there now. Regardless if the team was AA, they would have a tough time selling tickets, considering the location.

Also, I really don't think Cola has a market for AA baseball. USC has a huge monopoly on the sports market here, with the exception of the Inferno. The only reason the Inferno does so well with attendance is that it is the only representative of the sport of hockey. If USC had a hockey team, I think the Inferno would be done.

However, single-A baseball should definitely be here and located DT. Anytime you have a franchise representing the metro area, you need a central location to draw the most spectators and ticket sales.

[krazeeboi]

I think that if a stadium does get built in the Village, it may become one of the pieces of the puzzle in hastening the incorporation of NE Richland.

[Charleston native]

I think that if a stadium does get built in the Village, it may become one of the pieces of the puzzle in hastening the incorporation of NE Richland.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Whoa! Good point! I never thought of it that way, but locating a team there along with the newly created Village center would create a hub, or central mini-DT, if you will. I just moved into the NE, so I don't know if I would vote for incorporation. Man, that is something to think about.

[vicupstate]

Whoa! Good point! I never thought of it that way, but locating a team there along with the newly created Village center would create a hub, or central mini-DT, if you will. I just moved into the NE, so I don't know if I would vote for incorporation. Man, that is something to think about.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If the NE does incorporate, then there is a certain "Mayor-in-exile" from your hometown area that could help the new city get started on sure footing.

[krazeeboi]

^You mean the K-Mart greeter?

[Charleston native]

If the NE does incorporate, then there is a certain "Mayor-in-exile" from your hometown area that could help the new city get started on sure footing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Heh heh heh...Are you referring to the infamous Norman-Bates-Mom-look-alike, psycho, potential Kmart worker Mary Clark? That was good, vic! After reading all of the posts in the James Island forum, everytime I see her picture I keep hearing the horror music from the movie "Psycho" right before somebody got stabbed! Needless to say, I don't think I would want her representing my interests.

I actually don't know if I want incorporation, to be honest. I think I would prefer annexation from existing cities such as Columbia, Forest Acres, or Arcadia Lakes. What would be the potential name of the city or town? Spring Valley perhaps?

[Spartan]

I hear the names Spring Valley and Sparkleberry used as desrciptors for that area of Richland northeast. But we already have a West Columbia, so why not "Northeast Columbia" ?

[krazeeboi]

I think that if a city takes on a directionally-modified name of the principal city, it should stick to cardinal modifiers.

[Spartan]

I doubt it would happen anyway I'll stick with my intercardinal modifier for now unless someone has a better idea

[waccamatt]

I would be in favor of annexation and calling it "Columbia".

[krazeeboi]

Second!

[sonofaque86]

So did that part of Two Notch near the mall really get annexed?? I guess cola is tryin to plan for the future to get NE Richland if they keep annexing up Two Notch

[Hybrid0NE]

What would be the potential name of the city or town? Spring Valley perhaps?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think it should be christianed as Sandy Springs Valley; then you'd get Sandhills, Spring Valley and Columbia following in the steps of Atlanta (as in losing it's most profitable unincorporated area in it's base county in formation of a new city). If they are still thinking of putting office buildings at the Village, then the area will complete with it's own little skyline or toss up some near Blue-Cross tower and it'll be dejavu.

[vicupstate]

So did that part of Two Notch near the mall really get annexed?? I guess cola is tryin to plan for the future to get NE Richland if they keep annexing up Two Notch

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, Columbia has not annexed near the mall. Waccamatt was merely saying that annexation to Columbia would be preferred to the Northeast incorporating. Actually, Forest Acres has positioned itself to annex the mall at some point. If the Columbia limits do get close to the mall, the mall management might annex to F.A. instead to save money.

Either way, I don't see much change in the near term.