New stadium will boost city’s economy

House Editorial

A proposal under review by the City of Harrisonburg would bring all the excitement of a minor league baseball team to the community.

The proposal would involve the construction of a lighted baseball stadium as well as a civic center on part of 41 acres of land owned by JMU, both of which would be used by the city and JMU.

The new facilities will bring more than just a day at the ball game to the community. A minor league team would attract fans who come with both home-team fanaticism and an intense desire to buy things. While the minor leagues don’t typically attract the broad fan base of the pros, any fan brings an important accessory to games — his or her wallet.

While the proposal costs $100 million, the tourism and advertising that the developments would attract would bring a surge of customers to local businesses. The town would benefit from increased revenue and the population from a greater variety of shops, restaurants and entertainment.

The JMU community would immediately benefit from the chance to catch a ball game — either the Diamond Dukes or minor league — and, over time, will see an increase in the quality of the commercial district in Harrisonburg. The quality of the field will be a welcome improvement — Longfield/Mauck Stadium’s facilities are aging, and dark at night. The lights at the proposed stadium would allow for night games, making the games more accessible to everyone.

Better facilities also means better recruiting, which will lead to an improvement on the modest record the team sported last year. As any JMU football fan will tell you, a winning team catapults a school into the national spotlight. If the football team can win a national championship with just a new scoreboard, imagine what the baseball team could do with a new stadium.

The proposed civic center would add another dimension to Harrisonburg. Not only can it hold basketball games, but it would also provide a new venue for large-scale productions. It could hold major concerts or even hold circuses — instead of putting them in mall parking lots.

While the stadium could increase traffic on Port Republic Road, it’s important to keep the construction in perspective — a minor league baseball team does not attract the crowds of the New York Yankees. A new stadium will not move Harrisonburg from "The Friendly City" to the "Big Apple of Appalachia," but it will draw investors and tourism money into the city.