A regional sports facility featuring a 3,500-seat ballpark has been proposed for the south side of Springfield, Ill.

Consultant Mike Thiessen has been working with Calvary Temple on a site plan for 123 acres controlled by the church. His proposal calls for multiple sports facilities, including the ballpark and a football stadium. Calvary would donate the land and the city would actually build and manage the facility, which could also be used by Springfield high-school teams and the University of Illinois at Springfield.

The Springfield Sliders (summer collegiate; Prospect League) currently play at Robin Roberts Stadium at Lanphier Park; the team averaged 1,602 fans per game in its inaugural season in 2008. Given the size of the Springfield market, we'd be surprised if a 3,500-seat ballpark didn't attract the attention of the independent Frontier League or Northern League.

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