The mayor of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, said he will continue to support a redesign of the city's Wahconah baseball park. This comes after the Pittsfield Suns baseball franchise said it won't form a team this summer.
"This was not an easy decision given this community's strong connection to the ballpark and the team but one that the Pittsfield Suns ownership needs to make at this time," according to a joint statement issued by the Pittsfield Suns and Mayor Peter Marchetti's office.
For the past two summers, baseball fans at Wahconah Park sat in temporary bleachers because the grandstand was deemed unsafe.
"After two seasons with the temporary bleachers in place, the Pittsfield Suns have decided that they need to take a pause for the 2024 baseball season at Wahconah Park," the joint statement said.
City Council Vice President Earl Persip III said — normally — the Suns' schedule would be out by now and college-aged ball players would be preparing for the upcoming season.
A restoration committee, chaired by Persip, is working with architects on a $26 million rebuild, but the city doesn't have the funds yet. Persip said the team knew the time-frame.
"We want to make sure we do this right. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity for the residents of Pittsfield and Berkshire County," Persip said. "I am not sure why they decided not to field the team and I have to say I'm very very disappointed."
Marchetti said he would continue to work with the committee on the redesign.
"We must take into account the price tag of this project and look for ways we can reduce costs while still providing a great ballpark experience for residents and visitors that attend events at Wahconah Park," the mayor said in the joint statement.
The team's owner, Jeff Goldklang, said he's excited to assist in any way he can "towards the bright future of baseball in the Berkshires."
The Suns said they will work closely with the city on activities for the summer, including the July 4th fireworks at Wahconah Park.
