After a lengthy standoff over who should pay for upgrades to Valley Strong Ballpark, the Visalia Rawhide will not leave the city after all.
The City of Visalia announced Friday that it has reached an agreement with the Rawhide to upgrade the stadium in order to keep the team in town.
The big picture: The Rawhide have agreed to pay more to rent the stadium as part of the deal.
- Visalia will cover the costs for long-term maintenance projects, which include replacing the fence and batter’s eye, lighting upgrades and major improvements to the clubhouse and batting cages.
- It puts to rest any chance that the Rawhide could leave Visalia after 78 years.
What they’re saying: Visalia Mayor Brian Poochigian said the city council knew that the city would have had to pay for improvement projects to the stadium even if it was empty.
- “As we discussed a settlement that would keep the stadium a thriving part of our community, it made the most sense to understand the needs at the stadium, and those future costs,” Poochigian said. “We appreciate the financial commitments, through rent and other improvement contributions, that the Rawhide are making. Our work has resulted in an agreement that makes sense for both the team and the City.”
- Sam Sigal, Rawhide co-owner and President, said, “We are excited to be continuing the rich history of Minor League Baseball in this community that has been so supportive of the team for over seven decades. We are very pleased with the City’s cooperation to reach an agreement that will work for both parties. We also know that these improvements will be greatly beneficial to the players who cross the plate in Visalia.
Zoom out: Valley Strong Stadium needed significant upgrades in order to stay in compliance with new Major League Baseball rules.
- The Rawhide, who have been the Single-A affiliate for the Arizona Diamondbacks for 18 years, were faced with the possibility of looking for a new home if Valley Strong Stadium was not improved.
- When MLB reorganized the minor leagues in 2021, it placed certain standards on minor league stadiums and threatened to move teams if a stadium was not in compliance.
- A MLB audit found a number of deficiencies at Valley Strong Stadium, which put it out of compliance.
