Burnsville possible minor league baseball hometown?
There is a proposal in the works for two area developers to bring the Metro Millers across the Minnesota River to Burnsville to play in a new 7,300-seat stadium before the first pitch of the 2009 season.
The proposal by Tony Pettit, Lakeville, and Terry Deroche, Prior Lake, will meet with the Burnsville City Council Tuesday (June 10) for the first time. The site of the new ball park would be at the corner of County Road 13 and Interstate 35W and include an entire development with a year-round restaurant and other retail space in a baseball village around the area.
The problem is two-fold. A mandatory Environmental Assessment Worsheet requirement, which might not allow for the spring 2009 opening. Also the area has been designated to be redeveloped as a medical technical campus in the cities Adopted Comprehensive Plan and a Draft 2030 Comprehensive Plan.
What it could mean for Burnsville and the south-of-the-river area is professional baseball would have a home in the south metro and other college and high school team’s would have another facility to use.
According to Burnsville Communications Director Jim Skelly, the Northern League has been looking for a place to expand in the south metro area for the past five years and even moreso in Burnsville over the last year.
Stay tuned for more information as I get it.