Venue Detail
Savannah Sand Gnats
Revenues From Sports Venues Pro Facilities Report
January, 2010
Savannah Sand Gnats
|
1401 E Victory Dr Savannah, GA 31404 Phone: 912-351-9150 Fax: 912-352-9722 URL: www.sandgnats.com
Owner
John Simmons
League
South Atlantic League Southern
Venue
Grayson Stadium, 1401 E Victory Dr, Savannah, GA 31404-4107 Owner: City of Savannah Managed by: Team Built: 1941 Capacity: 8,500 Permanent concession stands: 3 Concessionaire: Professional Sports Catering Soft drink: Coca Cola Beer: Multiple
Ticket prices
Season tickets range from $225 to $490 Single tickets range from $6.00 to $9.50
Attendance
2007 average attendance: 1,554 2008 average attendance: 1,623 2009 average attendance: 1,731
Financial
A stadium club was added to the ballpark in 1995. The club seats 150. The team also offers 376 box seats at single game prices ranging from $6.50 to $9.50.
The team and the city are talking about building a new ballpark, but no decision has been reached. The Sand Gnats considered a move to a new ballpark in Tallahassee, Fla., but opted for a new three-year lease. The lease calls for the team to pay $10,000 per year in rent, plus three percent of concession sales.
The team is seeking improvements or a new venue. A study commissioned by the city says the current stadium would meet the community's needs, but that the team would benefit from an upgraded facility. A new stadium or renovations are estimated at $13 million to $16 million.
The report said team attendance would increase by 75 percent to nearly 3,500 in a new stadium and that would mean $300,000 more a year to the team. The team has been losing more than $100,000 a year. The city would get an estimated $40,000 in additional revenue from the stadium. Naming rights would bring in another $350,000.
The proposed new stadium would seat 4,500, have eight luxury suites and parking for up to 1,600.
Among those in Tallahassee talking with the team is businessman DeVoe Moore who led a bid in 1998 to bring a Devil Rays farm club to town. The new ballpark was projected to cost $10 million and seat 6,000. Moore asked Leon County to waive an estimated $84,000 in permitting fees to help build a privately-funded ballpark. The effort stopped when a deal with the team could not be closed.
To help its financial picture, the Gnats nearly tripled season ticket prices of box seats in hopes of discouraging season ticket sales and improving single game purchases. The team sold out its 376 box seats, leaving none available for single game purchase. Prices in 2001 rose from $275 to $600 for new buyers. Renewing fans will continue to pay the $275 price. The team estimated about 65 percent of previous season buyers renewed. Most tickets are bought by businesses and seats are empty on game nights.
Team officials say their goal is to make the premium seats available to the community, rather than limiting them to those who can afford season purchases. The move is also expected to boost concession sales by filling more of the seats.
A picnic area at the current stadium hosts groups of 25 or more and costs $12 per person, including food. (Baseball. Facilities, Financial, MinorLeagueVenueReport, Professional Sports)