Study on Ballpark Venues Presented to Council > City of Kannapolis | City of Kannapolis

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The second phase of a study on a downtown ballpark venue was presented to the Kannapolis City Council Monday night by Brailsford & Dunlavey Venues (B&D). Additionally, City Council heard a presentation on the economic development possibilities for the current Kannapolis Intimidators stadium property on Lane Street if the ballpark were to be moved downtown.


The first phase was presented to council last year and demonstrated the Kannapolis Intimidators have the potential to attract significantly higher numbers of people to enjoy minor league baseball due to the number, the average household income and retail expenditures of people who live within a 30 minute drive of Kannapolis.

The second phase of the study focused on the programming of a new ballpark, the cost of construction and the return on investment for the venue. Jason Thompson with B&D began the presentation with the fact that the Kannapolis Intimidators rank among the best of the 30 Class A Minor League markets in the U.S. and with the right stadium and marketing the potential to double attendance exists.

The Intimidators Stadium is currently located off I-85 at Lane Street and is over 20 years old. No major renovations or improvements have been made to the structure since it was built in 1995.

Thompson stated that the appropriate size for a new venue would be one with a capacity of 5,760 and include suites, club and loge seating. The sport and entertainment venue could be used for multiple purposes such as concerts, community events, and conference and meeting space.

The estimated costs to build the venue would be $38.8 million. Research shows that a minor league stadium in downtown Kannapolis could generate approximately $26 million in adjacent private development such as retail shops, restaurants, office and hotel space and residential units. The economic impact of the venue would create 248 jobs and result in approximately $274,243 in local sales, food and hotel tax revenues annually and $926,012 in state sales, food and hotel tax revenues annually.

City Council also heard a presentation from Robert Van Geons of Rowan Works Economic Development who has analyzed the redevelopment potential for the current Intimidators stadium site. Van Geons studied the current 55 acre site which is in a watershed. Watershed regulations restrict the amount of land that could be utilized on the site. The site is advantageous in that it is located on I-85 with easy access to the Charlotte Metropolitan region and could be used for a corporate headquarters, office park or light industrial use.

Van Geons researched current properties available in the Charlotte Metropolitan region and determined that the site would generate the most value if used for office/office medical purposes, although light industrial could also be incorporated into the site. His analysis demonstrated that if used for this purpose, an office or medical facility could generate $375,000-560,000 in annual property taxes.