Heading north on I-55, here's the new sign you see.
Memorial Day, Normal’s CornBelters Frontier League team played its first game in its new stadium, called the Corn Crib.
They lost 3-2 to Windy City, but filled the new stadium.
The stadium is near the intersection of I-39 and I-55. I think you see a photo of it above.
It’s built on the campus of Heartland Community College.
White Sox owner Bill Veeck’s son Mike is the most familiar name.
The lights lead me to believe this is the Corn Crib statium.
Subsidies from both the college and the town of Normal subsidized the construction.
This article in All Business, a reprint of a Bloomington Pantograph article, reports the “ownership group, and not the city, owns the stadium and pays for its construction.
“‘It is an unusual deal, but I think it will be the wave of the future,’”
said team President Steve Malliet.
This drive-by shot may show the entrance of the Corn Crib.
So far, 700 season tickets have been sold. As with all minor league teams, group sales are the key to success, said Malliet.
Meanwhile, McHenry County College’s pioneering effort got mired down in Crystal Lake watershed problems and objections to MCC taxpayers guaranteeing the 25-year bonds while minor league teams go belly up every five years or so.
Developer Mark Houser showed up again in Woodstock, where he was more successful with the city council. Although he has been granted $3.5 million in TARP loan authorization by the McHenry County Board, so far he does not seem to have marshaled the financial resources to follow in Normal’s footsteps.
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Meanwhile Meijer’s has partnered with the Kane County Cougars to give away free tickets, as you can see from the press release below
MEIJER TO GIVE AWAY FREE
KANE COUNTY COUGAR TICKETS
Attention all you Cougar fans! Meijer has partnered with the Kane County Cougars for the 2010 baseball season. Customers should present their Meijer receipt at the Elfstrom box office when purchasing a 2010 Cougar General Admission ticket for any Monday home game and receive a second General Admission ticket FREE!
This offer is good for up to four free tickets with the purchase of four tickets using a single receipt. Offer begins NOW and expires September 6, 2010. Don’t miss this chance to see the Kane County Cougars in action on their home field!
For complete schedules and rosters, visit the team Web site at http://www.kccougars.com/