Junior College Fields of Dreams

Bet you think this is another article about McHenry County College’s attempt to put a baseball stadium on taxpayer-financed land in Crystal Lake.

You’re wrong.

A friend of McHenry County Blog was reading the Bloomington Pantograph and found a story by Mary Ann Ford about minor league promoters wanting about 20 acres for a baseball league stadium.

Isn’t that too much of a coincidence to pass up mentioning?

The junior college is Heartland. The idea was discussed Monday night at Normal’s city council meeting.

In both MCC’s and Heartland’s situations the college would be providing the land.

But, I think there’s a difference.

Here’s how “community leader” Alan Sender put it:

“The vision today is a baseball stadium at Heartland funded by a private investor.”

The cost of the sports complex would be $3.6 million—about one-tenth of what McHenry County College plans to spend on its baseball stadium and fitness center. (Come to think of it, the $3.6 million probably doesn’t include financing costs as the $35 million, maybe $38 million does in Crystal Lake.)

And, unlike in Crystal Lake, the team is asking the city to provide turn lanes and traffic lights. MCC is offering those, but no major upgrade in the already overcrowded roads.


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