Proposed baseball facility upgrade questioned by trustees

A recurring effort to upgrade the baseball facilities at CSU, Sacramento surfaced again Tuesday when President Donald Gerth presented the Board of Trustees with a plan for a minor league baseball franchise to provide at least $2.5 million to build a suitable facility.

The CSUS Foundation has begun discussions with the River City Baseball Association, a Triple A baseball organization that is currently building a permanent stadium in West Sacramento. The arrangement Gerth outlined for the board involves upgrading the existing CSUS baseball/softball facilities to seat 2,000 for baseball games, create dugouts, locker rooms, public restrooms, concessions stands and improve the site.

Under the proposed agreement, River City Baseball would finance the improvements -- worth $3.5 million -- with $1 million of local support. The Foundation would repay the debt from proceeds from sporting events.

Under the plan -- the details of which have not been finalized -- River City Baseball would be entitled to use the field while their stadium is being finished, approximately one year. In exchange, the club would agree to contribute $150,000 per year for as long as it takes to repay the $2.5 million loan, about 28 years at current interest rates.

Gerth said the agreement is "still very much a work in progress," and the board was being informed about the proposal now so that in case a contract is successfully negotiated before the next meeting of the trustees in November, construction can begin in the meantime.

The Pacific Coast League requires the River City Baseball Association to have a back-up plan in the event their new stadium is not ready in time for the beginning of the season in April, said Edward Del Biaggio, vice president for administration. River City Baseball, he said, therefore approached CSUS to fulfill the league’s requirements.

"Basically they need a field to play on at the beginning of the season," said Del Biaggio. "If their field is ready in May, they’re not going to have to play in our facility. Are they willing to contribute $150,000 a year toward the cost of construction of this project? Yes, they are. Are they willing to do that for as long as it takes to pay off the indebtedness? Yes, they are."

Several trustees balked at the agreement.

"I cannot see how we can rely on an entity of that kind for 27 years at $150,000," said Board Chairman William Hauck.

The proposal was presented to the board for their information only, so no action was taken. But trustee Anthony M. Vitti expressed his skepticism about the deal.

"We don’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth, but at the same time we want to be sure we’re not going to have to fill a lot of cavities, either," Vitti said.

Despite the deal’s tentativeness, Gerth said he decided to bring the item before the board to keep the possibility of an imminent deal alive.

"I will not finally approve this until I am totally satisfied that there is an absolute protection of our foundation," said Gerth, "because I think it would be simply irresponsible to not have the foundation protected for years down the road."