Burlington loss, our gain?....

The Vermont Lake Monsters, who play in the New York Penn League, are one of the short season A teams rumored as perhaps moving to Dodd after the Defs move to Richmond. In a personal twist of irony, I've been to Centennial field a few times back in the 90's to watch Vermont Expos games--as the team was called then. My wife's family lived in South Burlington and I'd try to schedule a vacation week every summer to catch a ball game or two with my father-in-law. Centinnial Field is located on the campus of University of Burlington. Parking at the venue is very, very limited and most folks have to park off site and walk in. They used to pack the place pretty good and game days were a happening in town and if you had a ticket it was something to boast about around town. The team had the added bonus of being close to the parent club, the Montreal Expos and they were pockets of Expos fans up in Vermont as Montreal isn't that far away. The local newspaper, the Burlington Free Press, gave it a ton of coverage and there was a gift shop in the local mall that had plenty of traffic when I shopped it.
Not really a lot of seating, and the seats are what they are but the worst place to watch a game. The place had a great home town feel to it and I know it'll be missed by the fans up there if it moves. I know that little building the visiting team uses; my office at work is just a little bigger.

The above pictures were taken in 2002. Top picture are the seats where my late father-in-law and I sat and saw our last game together (1999). Doug passed late 2000. It easy for me to remember where we sat when I went back; it was next to the little press box up in the grandstand. Doug had seat 20 and I had 21

Anyway, this is from the Free Press written by Mike Donogue earlier this month:

"An effort to rehabilitate — and perhaps rescue — dilapidated Centennial Field to preserve minor league baseball in Burlington could cost $5 million to $7 million. But there might be some hope.

Vermont Lake Monsters owner Ray Pecor Jr. said last month there are serious concerns about whether Major League Baseball will continue to grant exceptions for the park’s unsafe conditions. He said he thought it could take up to $20 million to eliminate the unsafe conditions and replace substandard locker rooms, lights and other items. Now the Preservation Trust of Vermont has stepped in to try to help save 103-year-old Centennial Field, the oldest minor league baseball park in use in the nation.

“The numbers that I have seen are that it is going to cost $5-to-$7 million to solve the deficiencies that the league found,” Executive Director Paul Bruhn said Friday. He confirmed the new projections, based on talks with Pecor, architects and the University of Vermont, which owns the property.

“These were numbers that were developed by a combination of folks at UVM, an architect, and massaged by Ray and his people who know the field well,” Bruhn said.

Lake Monsters General Manager C.J. Knudsen deferred questions to Pecor, who could not be reached for comment Friday night.

Pecor has one year left on his player development contract with the Washington Nationals, who provide minor league players for Vermont. He has said he fears MLB could direct him to move to a more suitable park or to sell the franchise.

A public report prepared for the Commissioner’s Office of Major League Baseball — obtained by The Burlington Free Press last month — indicated the playing surface, the field lighting, dugouts, bullpens and both clubhouses are seriously deficient for Single A ball.

The 21-page report prepared in 2007 showed the pitching mound wasn’t regulation and that two of the four bases were more than 90 feet apart. The bases have since been aligned properly.

Bruhn said he called Pecor after reading reports about the uncertain future of Centennial Field. His personal concern dovetails with the goals of the Preservation Trust, a charitable, nonprofit organization founded to assist local and statewide efforts to preserve historic, architectural, cultural and community resources.

“There needs to be a solution,” Bruhn said. “Ray had made a huge contribution with the baseball team. I’m sure it is not the most profitable of all his ventures. It has been a real labor of love and a gift to the community.”

“It is an important asset for the community, for families and kids, and is an inexpensive form of entertainment for Burlington and this part of Vermont,” he said.

Bruhn said it was very early in the discussion and much work remains if Centennial is to be preserved. He said he had meetings only with Pecor and with John Goodrow, a staff member for Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.

“I know Sen. Leahy is very interested, and he really understands the importance of having baseball in the community,” he said.

Goodrow said Leahy’s office hosted a meeting with officials from UVM and the city of Burlington about a week ago.

“The purpose of the meeting was to sit down with them and talk about Centennial. UVM was comfortable with giving us time to keep baseball here. They were very welcoming to that,” Goodrow said.

Bruhn said all possible sources of revenue would be considered and could include a combination of individuals, businesses, foundations, and state and federal sources.

“It’s hard to know when you embark on a fundraiser,” Bruhn said. “It is a tough time economically, and you never know until you ask.”

Richard Cate, UVM vice president of finance and administration, said the university has said in several recent meetings that it is keeping the door open for the continuation of Centennial Field.

“There have been a variety of conversations in all the meetings. We are open to what folks have to say,” Cate said Friday night. He said there are concerns about whether there are adequate resources to make the improvements identified by the league.

He reiterated earlier comments from Athletic Director Robert Corran that there are no plans to build housing on the open land. He said UVM plans housing for other locations.

“It is not part of our current master plan. Other then mowing the grass, we don’t have a plan (for Centennial),” Cate said.

“It is an important asset for the community, for families and kids, and is an inexpensive form of entertainment for Burlington and this part of Vermont,” he said.

Bruhn said it was very early in the discussion and much work remains if Centennial is to be preserved. He said he had meetings only with Pecor and with John Goodrow, a staff member for Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.

“I know Sen. Leahy is very interested, and he really understands the importance of having baseball in the community,” he said.

Goodrow said Leahy’s office hosted a meeting with officials from UVM and the city of Burlington about a week ago.

“The purpose of the meeting was to sit down with them and talk about Centennial. UVM was comfortable with giving us time to keep baseball here. They were very welcoming to that,” Goodrow said.

Bruhn said all possible sources of revenue would be considered and could include a combination of individuals, businesses, foundations, and state and federal sources.

“It’s hard to know when you embark on a fundraiser,” Bruhn said. “It is a tough time economically, and you never know until you ask.”

Richard Cate, UVM vice president of finance and administration, said the university has said in several recent meetings that it is keeping the door open for the continuation of Centennial Field.

“There have been a variety of conversations in all the meetings. We are open to what folks have to say,” Cate said Friday night. He said there are concerns about whether there are adequate resources to make the improvements identified by the league.

He reiterated earlier comments from Athletic Director Robert Corran that there are no plans to build housing on the open land. He said UVM plans housing for other locations.

“It is not part of our current master plan. Other then mowing the grass, we don’t have a plan (for Centennial),” Cate said.