Contact: Colleen Roche (212) 788-2958
Curt Ritter (212) 788-2971
This past January, during his State of the City address, the Mayor identified $20 million in capital funds to construct a modern baseball facility that would be home to a Mets Minor League affiliate. It is expected that during the off-season the baseball stadium will be used as a community resource for high school and college games, concerts, and other community events.
"This is a very exciting day for baseball in New York City, after forty years we have finally brought professional baseball back to Brooklyn," said Mayor Giuliani. "The Mets will assemble a team of young players who have the potential to be the future stars of the major league franchise, while providing an inexpensive form of family entertainment in a location rich in baseball tradition. The presence of a minor league team in Steeplechase Park will be a significant step forward in the economic revitalization in this part of Brooklyn."
Fred Wilpon said, "Brooklyn and baseball belong together and I'm thrilled at the prospect of having the Mets New York Penn League team playing in Brooklyn. The Pittsfield Mets will bring some of tomorrow's big league stars to Coney Island today."
Bill Gladstone, owner of the Pittsfield Mets said, "As a native Brooklynite, I am excited at having our team move to Brooklyn. We look forward to opening day at the new ballpark in Coney Island."
The City and the Mets have agreed in principle that the Mets will bring its minor league affiliate to play in the City-owned stadium on a long term Concession Agreement. Further, the City has begun negotiations with The Mets Development Corporation, the Mets' construction and management affiliate, for it to oversee the building and operation of the new stadium. This arrangement will allow the City and the Mets to work together to ensure that a state-of-the-art minor league stadium is constructed on time and within budget, and that a team affiliated with major league baseball plays in Brooklyn well into the next millennium.
The City will shortly present a proposed concession to the City's Franchise and Concession Review Committee for approval and the Mets will seek all approvals necessary from major and minor league baseball in order to bring minor league professional baseball to Coney Island's Steeplechase Park. The City is also pursuing efforts to build a new stadium on Staten Island and is continuing to explore opportunities with the New York Yankees to place one of its minor league affiliates in Staten Island. The rules of major league baseball require that both the Yankees and the Mets must agree to permit each other's minor league affiliates to relocate to New York City.
The development of a minor league baseball stadium is a perfect fit for the Steeplechase Park site. The actions announced today constitute a significant step by the City to rehabilitate and develop the Coney Island area of Brooklyn. The minor league baseball stadium will be the anchor for this endeavor, as the City reviews further economic opportunities in the area, including Sportsplex, a multi-use indoor amateur athletic facility.