Little League decision on deck

By: Sharon McBrayer | Morganton News Herald
Published: October 02, 2008

Morganton --

City officials were feeling upbeat on Thursday after their meetings with Little League representatives.
Little League executives were in town Wednesday night and Thursday to decide whether Morganton is where they want to move the organization's southeast regional headquarters.
Morganton Mayor Mel Cohen said the city has until Oct. 25 to offer Little League a final proposal. Little League officials told Cohen they hope to announce a final decision in November.
On Thursday, the Little League delegation from Pennsylvania, Florida and West Virginia toured parks and recreation facilities, the Catawba River Greenway, CoMMA and the site of the proposed property at Catawba Meadows Park where Little League would locate, Cohen said.
"In my estimation, I feel they were quite impressed with our community and county," Cohen said.
He said the Little League contingency liked the natural surroundings of Catawba Meadows Park and was impressed with the proposed downtown connector to the greenway.
Gary Leonhardt, director of parks and recreation for the city, said Little League representatives also were impressed with the area's hospitality and people, as well as its downtown.
As for the final commitment or proposal from Morganton to the organization, Leonhardt said some of the property options include Little League leasing land in Catawba Meadows or it holding the deed to the property and who would be responsible for maintenance.
As part of its requirements for a southeast regional headquarters, Little League would need a 5,000-seat stadium, four additional fields and an administrative headquarters.
All of that costs money and Little League needs a financial commitment from Morganton. Leonhardt said the city is working on the finances, but he wouldn't say how much that commitment might be.
Cohen and Burke County Commission Chairman Wayne Abele, who was in on the meetings Thursday, plan to go to Raleigh to try to get financial pledges from the state.
"It would help if we got some money out of the state," Abele said.
County commissioners agreed in September to commit to give $100,000 over a five-year period to the effort, Abele said. On Thursday, Abele said he would be willing to ask commissioners to strengthen its financial commitment to the project.
Abele believes getting the regional headquarters to Morganton would pay off. He said the benefits of national TV coverage of the regional playoffs would be tremendous.
In addition to the people who would flood the area during playoffs, the area also would benefit because Little League conducts umpire training and other events, Abele said. Those events and programs would bring in between 25 to 100 people at various times at a minimum of 60 days a year, Abele said. All of those people would mean revenue for hotels and restaurants in the area, he said.
While Morganton is trying its best to land the headquarters, Cohen, Leonhardt and Abele are happy to be one of the finalists.
"I just hope we're able to work together and make this happen for Morganton and the surrounding area," Leonhardt said.

Little League decision on deck

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