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Macomb County, General Sports announce new Utica (MI) summer-collegiate ballpark

New Utica ballpark

Macomb County (Michigan) and General Sports and Entertainment are collaborating on a new summer-collegiate league ballpark as part of a retail/condo development.

The announcedment from General Sports and Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel did not specify the league, but later county officials said the goal was to set up a three-team summer-collegiate circuit, with all three teams playing out of the ballpark. The project, as developed by General Sports, will proceed in two parts: the $10-million ballpark will be the first part of the project in the city of Utica, with the retail and housing component coming down the line.

“This ballpark is a welcomed development in Macomb County,” Hackel said in a press release. “This minor league stadium is a great economic advantage for the city of Utica. It is also a major league quality-of-life opportunity for the region.”

General Sports and Entertainment is headed by Andy Appleby, former owner of the Fort Wayne Wizards (Low Class A; Midwest League). A press release from the county says 80 league games are expected to take place at the ballpark..

“We are thrilled that General Sports selected Utica for this exciting project,” said Utica Mayor Jacqueline Noonan. “Our businesses will surely be positively impacted by the visitors that it will attract. We have worked for decades to get our downtown to a vibrant state and now the work of our office and the Downtown Development Authority is coming to fruition. We are enormously proud and excited.”

The ballpark will be located on land just off of Moscone Drive, north of Auburn Road in Utica. The city of Utica’s Downtown Development Authority donated the property, valued at $600,000 to General Sports.

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