Topic: Rumblings of a Marshall Baseball Stadium...**MORE COMING OUT...**

[Herdmeister]

It’s a little bit more than that.  This starts the process that will lead to formal renderings and bids.

True. They already had financial commitments from some big money people including former Herd baseballers with Major League experience

[CoachSkip]

The part that says ---- preliminary step in what we hope and dream might happen in the future , reads to me like its nothing more than wishful thinking .  If MU has a baseball field within ten years Ill be shocked . Spend money on bball improvements , they have been the red headed stepchild to football long enough .

[goherd50]

Expression of Interest , haven't heard that in a while . That's a nice way of saying its been thought about , that's it.

Expression of interest is a term of art in the procurement process.  This  is the same as a request for qualifications.  This is the formal process that MU must follow to hire an architect for the project.

It does not mean that they have to move forward with the project, but it is the start of the process to hire someone to design both the baseball field and the Gullickson improvements.  I suspect that the decision point will be when the newly hired firm has a preliminary design with somewhat detailed cost estimates.  Then - do we have the money to proceed?  Do we modify the project to get within budget?  or scrap it?

[CoachMaclid]

I wish we had a published performance-based Strategic Plan first...

[Skidude]

Please, please, please - I pray this is not at the Route 2 site.

[herdfan129]

I wish we would just stop with all of this and dump some serious money in to our basketball program....you know, a sport people actually care about enough to buy a ticket and show up.

[Killer Buffalo]

Baseball is a sport people would support, but we've never had a decent park in which to play.
Imagine the support the basketball team would get if they had to play at St. Joe's small gym.
Imagine the support the football team would have to go up the hill to Huntington's field to play.

[DJdaHERDfan]

I have heard that Randy Moss is involved.

We shall see soon enough

[coalherd]

According to Hamrick's below quote in the HD, I wouldn't  hold my breath that the stadium will be built anytime soon.  Not being negative, just realistic.

"Today's Expression of Interest is a preliminary step in what we hope and dream might happen in the future. There is still a lot that needs to transpire to make these plans a reality," said Marshall Athletic Director Mike Hamrick in a statement released Wednesday.

To be precise, MH, ". . . hope and dream might happen in the future." is what has been the battle cry for anyone involved or interested in MU baseball since the mid 60s when Jack Cook use to take his team down to St. Cloud Commons where a good spring shower would turn the whole place into a swamp.

Still believe this whole Brownsfield/Highlawn development only goes forward when there is some resolution to the future disposition of some or all of the ACF property (or it certainly appeared that way with all the plans announced/published in the HD around the time Huntington was vying for, and won, that "Best City" contest). 

Anyone have any idea or knowledge that Carl Icahn has had a change of mind/heart about the future of the ACF site??

[wasbarryb]

Their time table calls for the signing of design contracts within two months. Once contracts are signed things are a lot less flexible than "it's just talk." 

[herdfan129]

Baseball is a sport people would support, but we've never had a decent park in which to play.
Imagine the support the basketball team would get if they had to play at St. Joe's small gym.
Imagine the support the football team would have to go up the hill to Huntington's field to play.

You don't think we would sell out Huntington Highs stadium or St. Joes gym?

[coalherd]

Their time table calls for the signing of design contracts within two months. Once contracts are signed things are a lot less flexible than "it's just talk."

In a poll in Saturday's Herald Dispatch, about 75% of the respondents felt that a year from now there would NOT be any definite plans, or specs, etc., concerning a home baseball facility for the Herd.

No doubt, such skepticism exists from a "here we go again" idea that many have since they've heard all of this in various forms many, many times over the last 30-40 years or so.

[muherdfan]

bunch of skepticism...I wish were true.  I was told in early eighties it was happening.  My son 30 years later on tv during an interview with Keith Morehouse in our front yard was told it was happeningl  blah..