Rick Chiarelli says LRT plans and a new pedestrian bridge could get more fans to Ottawa Stadium.
Double-A baseball teams interested in leasing Ottawa Stadium have until Dec. 9 to submit a proposal to the city. The highest bidder will get a chance in 2013 to hit a home run on professional baseball in the nation’s capital.
On Nov. 1, the City of Ottawa’s finance committee voted to find a long-term tenant for Ottawa Stadium, used sparingly since 2008 when the Ottawa Rapidz declared bankruptcy.
The Ottawa Fat Cats of the semi-pro Intercounty Baseball League have used the stadium on a year-to-year lease for two seasons, but the city is looking for a longer-term deal. Their lease will be extended another year, but after the 2012 season their future remains cloudy.
“We’re looking for at least 10 years, but it has to be at rates that make sense for the taxpayer,” says College Ward Coun. Rick Chiarelli. “For council to accept a bid, it would have to be the kind of arrangement that doesn’t have the taxpayer giving huge subsidies to professional baseball.”
Chiarelli travelled south on his own dime several times this year to gauge interest from double-A teams. One team rumoured to be interested in moving in is the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Given the high number of Jays’ fans living in Ottawa, the Fisher Cats would most likely be the most favourable tenant.
Alex Watson, a Carleton University student and baseball fan, says having a Toronto affiliate over other options would give the city a major advantage.
“As far as ticket-selling goes it would be easy considering you already get people from Ottawa going to see Jays’ games, so I don’t think it would be that hard to sell them on seeing the minor league team,” says Watson.
Chiarelli refused to comment on whether or not the Fisher Cats are interested, but suggests they’re an appealing option.
“I can point out that when we had the Lynx affiliated with the Montreal Expos, baseball was thriving here,” he says.
Despite striking out in the past after losing the triple-A Lynx in 2007 because of declining revenue and attendance, Chiarelli doesn't appear haunted by the ghosts of Ottawa’s baseball past.
“Ottawa has changed significantly from when baseball initially came here," says Chiarelli.
“And the changes are all for the good.”
On top of a growing population, he says plans for light rail transit have been approved that will drop fans off right at the stadium.
To solve parking woes, a pedestrian bridge will be constructed over the Queensway, giving access to lots across from the park.
With a lower break-even point, there’s also a better chance for double-A baseball to succeed than triple-A. According to Chiarelli, a new double-A team in Ottawa with tickets costing around $14 each would require close to 3,000 fans a night for survival – more achievable than the 4,200 needed in triple-A.
Chiarelli adds that with the Canadian Little League Championship coming to town in 2015, minor league baseball is gaining interest from sports fans.
“You can fail in any market, but you’re looking for a market where success happens if you do things right and I think Ottawa has a history that shows you can succeed if you do things right here,” he says.
As for the Fat Cats, they’ve expressed interest in forming a partnership with the winning bidder, which would allow them to share the stadium.
Duncan MacDonald, general manager and part owner of Ottawa Stadium Group, wasn’t available for comment after a meeting with his party was scheduled for Nov. 18.
The 2011 Fat Cats set a league attendance record with 38,491 fans during the regular season, compared to 20,000 in their inaugural season.
Most impressively, the team attracted 7,355 fans to a playoff game against Brantford in September.