Venue Detail
Birmingham Barons
Revenues From Sports Venues Pro Facilities Report
February, 2011
Birmingham Barons
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PO Box 360007 Birmingham, AL 35236-0007 Phone: 205-988-3200 Fax: 205-988-9698 URL: www.barons.com
Owner
Don, Jeff and Stan Logan
League
Southern League South
Venue
Regions Park, 100 Ben Chapman Dr, Birmingham, AL 35244-4500 Owner: City of Hoover Managed by: Team Built: 1988 Capacity: 10,800 Permanent concession stands: 4 Concessionaire: Team Suite caterer: Team Soft drink: Coca Cola Beer: Multiple
Naming rights
Sold to: Regions Bank Term: 9 years Expires: 2016
Ticket prices
Season tickets range from $300 to $350 Single tickets range from $6.00 to $8.00
Attendance
2007 average attendance: 4,002 2008 average attendance: 4,455 2009 average attendance: 4,418
Luxury Suites
Quantity: 10 Term: 1 to 5 years Price: $12,500 to $17,500 Seats: 12 to 20 Includes: Parking, tickets.
Club seats
Quantity: 450 Term: 1 to 1 years Price: $325 to $325 Includes: Tickets and wait staff.
The Birmingham Barons have sent notice to the city of Hoover that they will exercise an option to extend their lease at Regions Park for five years.
But the Barons hope that the minor-league baseball team and the city can reach an agreement that will allow the club to leave sooner if a new downtown Birmingham ballpark is built.
Hoover Mayor Tony Petelos said the city plans to make the Barons honor the five-year contract and has no interest in a short-term deal.
Barons managing partner Stan Logan said the Barons are not considering an alternative home until the downtown ballpark is ready for occupancy. Rickwood Field, where the Barons play a vintage game once a year, is not a full-time option, Logan said.
A five-year option, with the Barons continuing to pay a lease of $200,000 a year, would tie the club to Regions Park through the 2015 season.
Logan hopes the club can negotiate an earlier departure – it plans to be in the Birmingham ballpark in time for the 2012 or 2013 season – without paying Hoover for additional years after departure.
The Barons and the city of Birmingham signed a letter of intent for the Double-A team to be the primary tenant at a proposed ballpark that would be built next to Railroad Park as part of a downtown revitalization effort.
Construction could begin as early as January or February 2011 and the ballpark would seat close to 8,500 fans. That's 1,500 smaller than capacity at Regions Park but closer to the size of most Southern League parks.
Birmingham would pay for the venue through a 3.5 percent lodging tax increase. The tax is contingent on a final agreement between the city and the Barons.
If the Barons cannot negotiate a shorter lease with Hoover, Birmingham will stay out of the fray. Offering the club financial help with the remaining years on the Hoover agreement is not an option for the city of Birmingham, city officials say.
In addition to rent, the pending contract between Birmingham and the team includes a revenue-sharing provision in which the city will get a portion of profits from the ballpark. (Baseball, Facilities, Financial, MinorLeagueVenueReport, Professional Sports)