Baseball fans gathered with city officials to cheer Tuesday's ground breaking ceremonies for a $4.5 million stadium.
The Downtown Baseball Stadium will be home to the Ogden Raptors, a Milwaukee Brewers farm team that plays in the Pioneer League."The stadium will provide entertainment - not baseball only - in a safe wholesome environment," Raptors president Dave Baggott said Tuesday.
Mayor Glenn Mecham said the stadium is not only a world-class facility for the Raptors, but an urban renewal project, a boost to downtown business and a facility for year-round community events.
The Raptors, who have been playing in a small city league field with inadequate facilities, are scheduled to host their first game in the new 3,000-seat stadium in June 1997.
Ogden city contributed nearly $2 million, the Utah Legislature $1 million, and private donors $1.5 million to build the ballpark.