So what about Huntsville/Biloxi? Latest: Rain isn't helping

[Mass Haas]

Southern League schedules first game in new Biloxi stadium for April 20, 2015

 

Will new stadium be ready for Biloxi's home opener on April 20?

[Mass Haas]

Biloxi trims cost of baseball stadium project, team will potentially miss at least 35 home dates

By Warren Kulo, GulfLive.com

 

BILOXI, Mississippi -- The City of Biloxi has trimmed enough off of the cost of the planned minor league baseball stadium that it is now ready to move forward with construction, according to a release from the city Friday.

 

The new construction schedule, however, leaves the immediate future of the team somewhat in limbo.

 

Next Tuesday, the city council is expected to approve a contract with W.G. Yates & Sons to build the stadium for $29.13 million. Last week, bids were opened by the city and both came in at least $5 million over budget.

 

"There's been a great deal of work to bring this price in line with the available funding and we're comfortable with moving forward," Biloxi Chief Administrative Officer David Nichols said of the agreement.

 

The $36 million project is being funded by $21 million in city-issued bonds and $15 million from a BP grant pledged by Gov. Phil Bryant. Roughly $9 million has been spent on site and infrastructure work, along with architectural fees -- although Nichols noted about $2 million of that qualifies as post-Katrina infrastructure work and reimbursable by FEMA.

 

"At the same time, we've worked with the architect and contractor on 'value engineering,' which is a process where we can trim costs along the way," Nichols said. "We're also taking advantage of the 12-month contract, which means we may face penalties for missing some home games."

 

The city's contract with the AA Southern League calls for a $10,000 per game penalty to be imposed for any home dates missed. Last December, the league approved the sale and relocation of the Huntsville Stars to Biloxi for the 2015 season.

 

The new construction contract calls for the stadium to be ready for play sometime in July or August of next year.

 

The league released its 2015 schedule earlier this week and it calls for the Biloxi team to play its first home game on April 20. However, with the new construction schedule, the team will, at a minimum, miss the entire first half of the season even if the stadium is completed by July 1.

 

That would mean 35 home dates missed and $350,000 in fines. In addition:

•If the stadium is ready by mid July, the team would miss three more home dates.

•If ready by August 1, the team loses 12 more home dates

•If ready by the end of August, add another 5 games missed

 

Worst case scenario: the stadium isn't ready until the end of August, the team misses 55 home dates and the city is hit with more than half a million in fines.

 

Majority owner Ken Young said it was too early to know exactly what the new construction schedule will mean for the team. The Stars do have another year remaining on their lease with the City of Huntsville, so remaining there for the 2015 season has been suggested.

 

"Obviously, that's a good question," Young told The Mississippi Press Friday afternoon, "one I don't have an answer for right now, primarily because I remain hopeful the stadium will be done faster than that."

 

League sources have told Al.com, however, that there is no contingency schedule for the team remaining in Huntsville for 2015.

 

Another possibility would be swapping home dates with other Southern League teams to mitigate the number of home dates missed while the Biloxi stadium is completed.

 

"Certainly all of the teams in the league have said they would work with us and be accommodating," Young said, "but there's a lot to that puzzle and there are no commitments."

 

Stars' General Manager Buck Rogers, hired by Young to fill the same role for the Biloxi club, said in a message he is still "optimistic" the club will play in Biloxi sooner rather than later and said Biloxi has "a can-do attitude."

 

As reported by The Huntsville Times' Mark McCarter last week, it would not be unprecedented for a minor league team to spend an extended period on the road while a stadium is completed.

 

The Sacramento River Cats, a Class AAA affiliate of the Oakland A's, played nearly 40 consecutive road games, not playing at home until mid-May, because of delays in construction on a new stadium there. The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees of the Class AAA International League, played every game on the road in 2012 because of stadium construction.

 

The Southern League splits its 140-game season into two 70-game halves, with the winners of each half meeting in a league championship series. The Stars won the first half title this season.

 

Although the Biloxi project still includes a 350-space parking garage to be used primarily by Beau Rivage employees, the Yates contract does not include an overhead walkway that would have connected the parking garage to the south side of U.S. 90.

 

"We just don't have the funding for that," Nichols said "and we're going to be looking for funding sources or sponsorships for other amenities, such as signage and a high-density scoreboard.

 

"One thing that we have done is made it clear to the contractor that we don't have any flexibility in this contract. We're ready to get started."

 

***

 

No plans in place to have Stars in Huntsville in 2015, despite Biloxi stadium delays

Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times

 

The debut of minor league baseball in Biloxi will be delayed, but apparently it will come with a clean break from Huntsville.

 

The City of Biloxi acknowledged, as reported by GulfLive.com today, that its new stadium will not be completed until late July or August of 2015.

 

The Huntsville Stars, who have been sold to Ken Young and a group of investors with the purpose of moving the Southern League franchise to Biloxi next season, have a lease with the city of Huntsville for the use of Joe W. Davis Stadium through 2015.

 

Young has indicated he does not plan to operate in Huntsville, though Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle told AL.com there is "still no word" from Young and minority partner Miles Prentice, the former owner who has been charged with operating the Huntsville club this year, on the team's intentions.

 

Southern League president Lori Webb told AL.com today that there is no contingency schedule in place involving Huntsville in 2015; the league's schedule was released last week.

 

That means the final regular-season pro baseball game in Huntsville could be the Sept. 1 home finale, though the Stars have already qualified for the Southern League playoffs.

 

City leaders remain confident another Southern League franchise could be brought into the city in a few years, potentially at a downtown stadium. Potential owners have reached out to Battle and other local investors have made inquiries. Pat O'Connor, the president of Minor League Baseball, will be a clearinghouse of sorts for interested parties.

 

Asked what his plans were because of the indefinite construction plan, Young told GulfLive.com "Obviously, that's a good question, one I don't have an answer for right now, primarily because I remain hopeful the stadium will be done faster than that."

 

The Biloxi team could swap home games with other teams or simply lose them. Suggestions have been floated that it play some games on campus at Southern Mississippi, 70 miles away in Hattiesburg.

 

"Certainly all of the teams in the league have said they would work with us and be accommodating," Young said, "but there's a lot to that puzzle and there are no commitments."

 

It is not unprecedented that teams don't play a full complement of home games. The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre team in the Class AAA International League played its entire 2012 season on the road because of stadium construction and the Sacramento team played its first 40 games on the road because of construction delays in 1999.

 

The Biloxi franchise faces a $10,000 fine from the Southern League for every missed home game.

 

On July 9, the city was presented its construction bids, the lowest of which was $5 million over the city's budget for the ballpark. Biloxi has committed $21 million to the project from a bond issue and has $15 million pledged from Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, funds the state received from its settlement with BP after the Deepwater Horizon incident.

 

Biloxi Mayor A.J. Holloway suggested after the bids were received that the city might need to return to "square one" with its plan.

 

Next Tuesday, according to the Mississippi Business Journal, the Biloxi City Council will meet regarding a contract offers by W.G. Yates & Sons to build the ballpark – to be named MGN Park at Beau Rivage -- for $29.13 million. Other money has already been spent and committed in terms of infrastructure, site clearing and planning.

 

City of Biloxi Chief administrative officer David Nichols said that $2 million of the $9 million that has already been spent will be reimbursed by FEMA as it has been categorized as post-Katrina infrastructure work.

 

"There's been a great deal of work to bring this price in line with the available funding, and we're comfortable with moving forward," Nichols said. "One thing that we have done is made it clear to the contractor that we don't have any flexibility in this contract. We're ready to get started."

[Eye Black]

I would consider this to be an ominous start in Biloxi. Unfortunately the delay in having a completed facility could turn into a significant distraction next season for the AA players. They face the potential of having a season spent with a lack of adequate training facilities and a heavy travel schedule in the midst of trying to develop as players while making the second most difficult jump in professional baseball (from A+ to AA).

 

From a City of Biloxi standpoint, I would also be concerned that unless done quite skillfully, value engineering the facility and trying to expedite the construction schedule could have some very negative effects on the final product.

[Eye Black]

This article out of Jacksonville contradicts the previous reports that Biloxi is facing a $10,000 per game penalty from the Southern League for any games they are unable to host next season.

 

Southern League Notebook: Biloxi's stadium plan runs into problem

By The Florida Times-Union

 

The Jacksonville Suns are supposed to help inaugurate the new baseball stadium in Biloxi, Miss., next year when the Suns and the Southern League’s newest franchise meet in a five-game series starting April 20.

 

But that series and possibly Biloxi’s entire 35-game home schedule for the first half of the 2015 are in jeopardy.

 

Biloxi was awarded the franchise rights of the Huntsville Stars, the affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Biloxi did its part by planning a state-of-the-art $30 million ballpark.

 

But last week when bids for construction of the stadium opened, both were at least $5 million over budget. City officials went about trimming the cost and came up with a new construction schedule, one that calls for a 12-month schedule to build the park.

 

But that would put the completion date well past the end of the first half of the 2015 schedule. There was an erroneous report that the Southern League protected its interest in the contract with the city of Biloxi, by imposing a $10,000 per game penalty for missing any scheduled games due to the stadium not being ready. But Southern League president Lori Webb said that the league did not have such an agreement.

 

“I think that was in the agreement between the city and the ownership group,” Webb said. “That’s not something that the league office has. We have no such agreement. I’ve heard a number of different dates that they’re talking about for the completion, so I’m not sure which one to believe at this point. I just know that as soon as they say go, they’re going to go as fast as they can to get it built.”

 

One solution would be for Huntsville to remain in its current location one more year. The Stars have another year remaining on their lease.

 

“I’m hoping that the new ballpark in Biloxi is completed in time. However, I am aware that they are having some serious problems,” Suns owner Peter Bragan Jr. said. “We would try to help Biloxi with the schedule any way we can.”

 

If that meant Jacksonville hosting Biloxi in the April 20-24 series, the Suns would likely agree. That would result in Jacksonville starting the season with a 20-game homestand. “I sure hope we would be in first place after that,” Bragan quipped.

[Southern Leaguer]

A little humor from a Huntsville satire site

[Mass Haas]

Latest: Biloxi council approves $29.1 million contract to build no-frills baseball stadium

[Mass Haas]

Photo and comments at the article link

 

Stars' owner not closing door on return to Huntsville for part of 2015 season

Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times

 

Next Monday will be the final regular-season game in Huntsville Stars history after a three-decade run.

 

Or will it be?

 

Stars majority owner Ken Young told AL.com that he is "pondering" the possibility that the Stars would have to play at Joe W. Davis Stadium in 2015, at least the first half of the season.

 

The Stars, who opened a five-game home stand with the Mississippi Braves Thursday, are to be moved to Biloxi, Miss., for the 2015 season. However, there is one year remaining on the team's lease of Huntsville's Joe W. Davis Stadium.

 

Because stadium construction is barely underway in Biloxi, the most optimistic estimates coming from officials there are that the stadium would be ready by August 2015.

 

"I'm pondering," Young said Thursday afternoon. "(In July) I believe I told you, no, we'll play some place in Mississippi. I'm pondering right now and we'll have the decision in the next couple of weeks where we open the season."

 

Young bought the team last winter from former majority partner Miles Prentice (who has maintained a minority stake) and his group. He said that he needed "to get a better handle from the contractor in Biloxi" concerning the construction schedule and completion date.

 

If the stadium is not ready by the April, 20, 2015 opener, the city will owe team officials $10,000 for each home game missed. Southern League teams play 70 home games per season.

 

Having the team based in Huntsville would provide more convenience for the players, staff and others rather than a patchwork schedule that might include games in other Southern League parks like Mobile and Jackson, Miss., as well as Hattiesburg, Miss., when dates were available.

 

"I wouldn't anticipate a full season (in Huntsville)," Young said. "You never know, but I wouldn't anticipate that."

 

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle has not been officially informed of the team's intention to move to Biloxi. According to the lease, the team has until December 15, 2014 to tell the city of its plans for 2015.

 

The Southern League schedule for 2015 has already been approved and announced with Biloxi in place, and participating in the Southern League South. That's meant a realignment for the Montgomery Biscuits, who will play in the North. League president Lori Webb said that no alternative schedule, with Huntsville as a league member, was created.

 

Battle told AL.com that he has had recent conversations with Young about the situation and is eager to hear Young's final plan "because we need to be able to move ahead and decide what we're going to do with the property." According to regulations drawn up when the stadium was built, the property must be used for recreational purposes, whether a pro team is in town or not.

 

Battle and other leaders have been optimistic another Southern League team could be in operation in Huntsville within several years, most likely in a multi-function downtown stadium. The stadium would be a public-private partnership, the mayor said.

 

"One of the things, between talking to Buck (Rogers, Stars' general manager) and keeping my eye on attendance there, I have thought, now that I'm a member of the Southern League, about baseball coming back to Huntsville eventually if the right situation reveals itself," Young said.

 

"I always believed (there is potential to succeed) and my mind hasn't been changed," he continued. "I would be supportive with the right venue and so forth of baseball coming back to Huntsville. I would hope this weekend we could get some support for these last few games and the playoffs."

 

No matter what happens next year, there will be some "bonus baseball" for Huntsville fans this season after the final home stand, which includes 6:30 games Friday and Saturday, a 4 p.m. game Sunday and the 1 p.m. finale on Monday.

 

The Stars won the first-half Southern League North championship, earning a spot in the playoffs. They'll host the second-half North winner – either Chattanooga or Knoxville – on Thursday, Sept. 4 and Friday, Sept. 5 in the first two games in the best-of-five series. Should the Stars win that series, they'd host the first two games of the best-of-five championship series.

 

The Stars were Southern League champions in the first year of their existence in 1985. They also won the title in 1994 and shared the championship with Jacksonville in 2001 when the series was cancelled after 9/11.

 

This is the team's 14th playoff appearance, the first since 2009 and sixth since becoming an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers in 1999. The Stars' original major league partner was the Oakland Athletics.

[jerichoholicninja]

That's hilarious.

 

"We don't want to be here anymore. But can we crash here for a few months?"

[Mass Haas]

Opinion: It only makes sense to bring Stars back for 2015 after Biloxi's problems

Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times

 

This was to be a column awash in nostalgia. It was to be a melancholy farewell to professional baseball in Huntsville after its 30-year existence.

 

It was to regurgitate some of my memories and to evoke some memories of yours. Jose Canseco's massive home runs. Rocky Coyle's heroics. Tim Belcher's pitching. Terry Steinbach's steady play. Rob Nelson's prodigious numbers. Miguel Tejada's hustle at shortstop. Tony Gwynn Jr.'s elegance in centerfield. Hunter Morris' storybook season.

 

This week was to bring the final chapter for the Huntsville Stars. Monday is the last regular season game in the franchise's last season here, with playoff games scheduled for Thursday and Friday at Joe Davis Stadium.

 

That column, that goodbye to baseball, we may put on hold.I truly believe the Stars will open 2015 in Huntsville, playing at least half a season here.

 

The Stars have been sold to majority partner Ken Young and a group of others who are moving the franchise to Biloxi, Miss. But Biloxi's stadium will not be ready in time for the 2015 season.

 

The Stars have a lease with the city of Huntsville for Joe Davis Stadium through 2015 and Young acknowledged to AL.com this week he is "pondering" the possibility of having the team begin next year in Huntsville. General manager Buck Rogers has acknowledged that in an email to fans.

 

It only makes sense.

 

It's going to be depressing and it could well set back what is a promising future for a reboot of pro baseball here. But it's the most logical thing to do.

 

A baseball team needs a home; more importantly, its players and staff need a home. Players live out of a suitcase enough as it is. They need and deserve some bit of stability, an apartment to come home to where they can be with wives or girlfriends, to see their kids or have their families come visit. Budget hotels at freeway exits don't provide that.

 

So if the Stars need to return, so be it. Though my inclination, were I the landlord, would be to say, "Have your stuff cleaned out and the U-Haul packed at midseason." If it means a nomadic second half in southern Mississippi across to the Florida panhandle to find a place to play, sorry.

 

Ken Young should not be the villain here. I submit that had he owned this team the past dozen years rather than Miles Prentice, who remains a minority partner in the organization, all this discussion would be moot. The Stars would have been a vibrant organization and likely already in a new stadium.

 

Biloxi wanted baseball, Young is well-connected, he owns some other teams, he made the sale materialize in conjunction with interested parties in Biloxi.

 

But Biloxi's city fathers and the local baseball leaders bit off more than they could chew. They didn't foresee the political hassles and they were stunned back to square one on by sticker shock when construction estimates arrived.

 

Truth be told, I don't want baseball here next year. It's painful to watch a franchise waiting to be euthanized. I think attendance will be even worse in and you'd more likely sell quiche at a NASCAR race before you could sell a billboard to a business in this city.

 

My biggest fear is that one more full year of life-support baseball here would mean one more year's delay before there is a hunger and a significant demand to build a much-needed new ballpark and land a new team.

 

I was going to be writing about a rich past of Huntsville baseball. Instead, the story flip-flopped this week and my thoughts turn to what could be a rich future with a fresh start. I hope Biloxi's many mistakes don't put that in jeopardy.

 

Online reader comments are always entertaining.

[folly412]

A few updates I found:

 

http://baseballbiloxi.com/

 

Site for updates on the new team. They use a "bb" in Brewer style for "Biloxi Baseball". Looks like they had a "name the team" contest. The website has a construction cam, but not much to look at yet. Selling season tickets for the entire season, with a handy GMail address if you're looking for info...

 

 

http://www.wxxv25.com/news/local/story/Construction-on-Track-for-Biloxi-Baseball-Stadium/TDWxu-AjjUuOVwAkI0S_Bg.cspx

 

Most recent construction update I could find. Looking at the steel going up in October, completion date of Aug/Sep 2015.

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutchess_Stadium

 

A reference point for optimism. Dutchess Stadium in NY is a bit smaller than MGM Stadium will be, but the substantial construction was done in a 71-day window to get it ready to play ball. Completion took another two years. Probably the likely course of current construction - make it possible to play ball as soon as possible.

[Mass Haas]

Couple of video updates:

 

Biloxi Baseball Stadium Construction Ahead of Schedule, April Games Not Out of the Question

 

Huntsville expects Stars decision on where they'll play early season games in 2 weeks

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Stars move comes down to new stadium's construction schedule

By Nick Lough, WAAF

 

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) - The City of Huntsville could have to wait until January to find out if the Huntsville Stars will play ball in the Rocket City or move to Biloxi next season.

 

The Stars, the AA affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, have a contract to stay in Huntsville through the 2015 season. However, Stars owner Ken Young wants to move the team to Biloxi. A stadium is also under construction in Mississippi.

 

Several weeks ago, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said Minor League baseball officials had given the city “assurances” that Huntsville would hopefully have an in or out answer by early October. Young said conversations with the city and Mayor Battle are ongoing but it's too early to say where the team will play next year.

 

“We won't have a good handle on it for at least 90 days,” said Young.

 

The owner said the move comes down to the “construction schedule” on the new stadium.

 

Young said he's also not ruling out having the team split games between Alabama and Mississippi while the work on the new stadium is underway.

 

“There is a possibility we could play part of the season in Huntsville and the rest in Biloxi,” Young said.

 

We reached out to the Mayor's office. They released the following statement:

 

"We expect both sides to live up to their obligations in the contract.”

 

The Stars scheduled home opener is April 20, 2015.

[Mass Haas]

Latest from Mark McCarter in Huntsville

[Mass Haas]

Biloxi minor league baseball franchise to announce team name Nov. 24

 

The finalists were Beacon, Black Jacks, Mullets, Schooners, Shrimpers and Shuckers.

[brewmann04]

Schooners, or Schuckers

[Mass Haas]

Two construction views -- "Stadium Cam"

[Mass Haas]

Miscellaneous --

 

Via minorleagueball.com:

 

November 9th – Q & A with Huntsville Stars GM Buck Rogers. Rogers will address the Brewers Double-A affiliate making the move to Biloxi, Mississippi, where ground has broken on the new stadium.

 

Here's Jessica Quiroli, follow her (@heelsonthefield) and Buck Rogers on Twitter for the 1:00 PM Central chat (2:00 PM Eeastern).

 

"I'm hosting a Twitter Q & A with @HuntsvilleStars GM Buck Rogers (@HSVStarsGM) this Sunday on @MinorLeagueBall. 2PM EST. Join in! #Brewers"

 

***

 

I'll be out and about, hope Biloxi fans chime in...

 

Easiest way to catch up on Sunday's Twitter chat --

 

John Sickels tweets and replies(11/9/14)

 

Buck Rogers tweets and replies (11/9/14)

[Mass Haas]

Biloxi baseball team's name is closely guarded secret

Nov. 24 announcement will be family affair

By Mary Perez, Biloxi Sun-Herald

 

Buck Rogers scrolls through text messages on his cell phone from people asking him to reveal the name of Biloxi's baseball team.

 

"I don't know what it is," the team general manager replies, and said he doesn't want to know until next week as he prepares for the official announcement Nov. 24.

 

He doesn't want for Biloxi what happened in El Paso, Texas, where someone learned the name ahead of the official announcement and leaked the news the team would be the Chihuahuas.

 

Fans in South Mississippi deserve better, he said. "We're going to protect (the name) for them to make sure they get that experience."

 

It will be a once-in-a-lifetime event for the city, he said, and will bring to Biloxi team owner Ken Young, Southern League President Lori Webb and Scott Martens with the Milwaukee Brewers, the team's parent club.

 

Rogers will serve as master of ceremonies for the unveiling of the team name, logo and colors at the Saenger Theatre on Reynoir Street. School is out next week, and he said activities will keep the kids entertained between when the doors open at 4:30 p.m. and the start of the program at 5:30 p.m.

 

Expect brief speeches, the Biloxi cheerleaders interacting with the crowd and a big buildup to the big reveal, he said.

 

What's certain is the team name will be either the Biloxi Beacon, Black Jacks, Mullet, Schooners, Shrimpers or Shuckers -- the names that made the short list in a local contest. Another sure bet is not everyone will like the name.

 

Yet immediately after the announcement, the coverings will come off the windows at the team's new retail shop in the Coast Transit Authority building across the street from the theater. Team shirts, caps and other licensed memorabilia with the new name and logo are expected to be the hottest gifts in town just days ahead of Black Friday shopping.

 

"It will be great Christmas shopping," Rogers said.

 

The winners of the name-the-team contest will be revealed at a later date and the search will be on to select a team mascot.

 

"We'll get some input from the kids," he said.

 

Progress on the stadium construction can be measured daily by people passing the site on U.S. 90, north of the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino. Most of the luxury suites are already sold for three to 10 years, and Rogers said the team is giving fans one last chance to buy season tickets before they begin to sell tickets for half season, fireworks games and other combinations.

 

The offseason is usually a quiet time for a team, but Rogers said in Biloxi, "it's an all-new ball game."

[Mass Haas]

Biloxi stadium construction reaches highest point

 

Important point in the process, cold weather not expected to halt construction...

[Mass Haas]

The Biloxi Sun-Herald will stream today's announcement live at 5:30 PM Central (that may not be the exact link, but it should indicate at that time).

[Mass Haas]

[Invader3K]

I like it, though there's a lot of negative reaction on Twitter, it seems. Better than something generic like "Stars", in my opinion.

[Mass Haas]

MiLB.com: Ben's Business Blog with plenty of insights from Buck Rogers

[alexdavis87]

there's a lot of negative reaction on Twitter

 

unfortunately people on the Mississippi Gulf Coast can't seem to support any team after Hurricane Katrina.

 

The most successful team we've had were the Mississippi Sea Wolves, but due to the economy we were forced to change to a single A league, and change the name of the team. The changing of the team name ultimately killed the hockey team here.

 

The city of Biloxi has always been dead set on making Biloxi a tourists destination but the actual residents of Biloxi and surrounding areas don't seem to support sports unless it's Saints, LSU or Alabama.

 

Ken Young owns a handful of teams and none average less than 2500 or so..I can only hope this new Biloxi team resonates with the Mississippi Gulf Coast this upcoming season.

 

Negativity should probably be expected..this is the internet after all, but as a supporter of pro sports in Biloxi, I am a new Biloxi Shuckers and Milwaukee Brewers fan.

[TooLiveBrew]

there's a lot of negative reaction on Twitter

 

unfortunately people on the Mississippi Gulf Coast can't seem to support any team after Hurricane Katrina.

 

The most successful team we've had were the Mississippi Sea Wolves, but due to the economy we were forced to change to a single A league, and change the name of the team. The changing of the team name ultimately killed the hockey team here.

 

The city of Biloxi has always been dead set on making Biloxi a tourists destination but the actual residents of Biloxi and surrounding areas don't seem to support sports unless it's Saints, LSU or Alabama.

 

Ken Young owns a handful of teams and none average less than 2500 or so..I can only hope this new Biloxi team resonates with the Mississippi Gulf Coast this upcoming season.

 

Negativity should probably be expected..this is the internet after all, but as a supporter of pro sports in Biloxi, I am a new Biloxi Shuckers and Milwaukee Brewers fan.

Welcome to the board, alexdavis87! It'll be nice to hear from a local p.o.v. regarding the Shuckers.