UNM Athletic Director Rudy Davalos and head baseball coach Rich Alday pleaded UNM’s case during a press conference Thursday to keep the Albuquerque Sports Stadium for the UNM baseball program.
The press conference was held in response to a report written by Brad Winter, the Albuquerque City Council president, on the cost of renovating the sports stadium for a Triple-A baseball team.
“Rich and I felt like with everything said regarding a refurbished sports stadium, I’d be remiss if I didn’t express how the Athletic Department, and Rich, feels about playing here,” Davalos said. “Now that we have played some games — even though the weather hasn’t been that wonderful — it’s just been a tremendous boost to our baseball program.”
Since the Albuquerque Dukes left for Portland, Ore., last year, debate has centered on whether to build a new stadium or renovate the former home of the Dukes.
Martin Koldyke, owner of the multimillion-dollar Frontenac Corporation investment firm, said earlier this month that he plans to purchase a Triple-A franchise, then move to Albuquerque pending construction of a new stadium or renovation of the sports stadium.
Wednesday’s report from Winter included detailed information concerning the cost that taxpayers would have to pay for renovating the stadium.
According to the plan, developed by HNTB Sports Architecture, the stadium would expand more than 81,000 square feet from its current 25,000 square feet of spaces and cost more than $23 million. The expansion would provide new clubhouse facilities for players and umpires, new administration and ticket offices, new concessions and restrooms, in addition to a new playing field moved closer to the seats and a new outfield wall. It would also include 30 corporate suites on an elevated level, that feature a catering kitchen and private restrooms. The plan calls for Phase I to last from fall of this year through fall of 2002, and Phase II to start right after that until the spring of 2003.
The Triple-A team would begin the 2002 season and the stadium expansion would work around its play.
Winter said the plan is negotiable and that the stadium would be available for community use.
“UNM and Albuquerque Public Schools athletes will get to use it, and that’s something I’m adamant about,” he said. “Let’s say they do renovate. They’re going to play there and we’ll build around them.”
Even with that assurance, Davalos said it was important for Albuquerque’s citizens to understand UNM’s stance on the issue.
“The position we’re taking is that we wanted to state how important the stadium is to our baseball program,” he said. “I haven’t had any councilors call me up and ask me for my opinion. Certainly Mayor Baca knows that from our standpoint, we would be better off with two different sites, but again, that’s for the public to decide.”
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Winter said he didn’t think taxpayers would be willing to foot the $34 million bill to build a new stadium.
“I’m sure that UNM would like us to build a new one downtown,” he said. “With the money situation, I know that the city would not support that.”
Alday said playing in the stadium has been a boon to the team in terms of recruiting, scheduling high-quality college teams, and even for fans of UNM baseball.
“I think the attendance has been better these last three ballgames even though we’ve had some bad weather,” he said. “Just the atmosphere, I think, has been the key — dressing in the locker room and walking down the ramp to the stadium has been outstanding. The kids really get excited about that.”
Alday said Larry Hayes, the Texas Tech University baseball coach, mentioned that he is looking forward to coming to Albuquerque and playing in the stadium.
Winter said Davalos and Alday should not have any trepidation about sharing the stadium.
“We’re going to have to come up with a joint plan,” he said. “If it gets to be a political battle, then it’s all over.”
In October, Baca and Davalos announced a joint agreement to allow the Lobos to play their home games in the Sports Stadium this year. Both said at the time that a deal could be worked out in which UNM and a professional team — if one were brought in to a renovated Sports Stadium — would share the stadium. Clearly, though, Davalos wants the stadium as UNM’s permanent baseball home.
“We feel like this can be one of the best Division-I baseball stadiums and home field for us,” Davalos said. “We would love to be the primary tenants here at the sports stadium. It is on University-owned land.”
