SALT LAKE CITY — SALT LAKE CITY — The University of Utah has unveiled plans to build an on-campus baseball stadium that will be able to seat hundreds of fans and may open as early as 2025.
Fundraising efforts are underway for the new stadium, which may be built on Guardsman Way where the current Utah Baseball practice field is.
“[Smith’s Ballpark] venues are nice but if there’s better stadiums or better fields, the Utes deserve it for sure,” said University of Utah baseball fan Tery Fields.
Mark Harlan, Director of Athletics, said stadium plans in the works have a capacity of 1,200 fans with concessions, restrooms, ticketing offices, locker rooms, team spaces and coaches' offices.
The new facility will cost about $35 million and the majority of that money will come from privately raised funds, university leaders explained.
“You are losing a little bit of old but the fresh puts a pep in your step sometimes,” said Fields.
On Tuesday, the university's Board of Trustees granted contingency approval, allowing plans to move forward with the project.
The announcement comes months after the Salt Lake Bees announced they would leave Smith's Ballpark in Salt Lake City for a new venue in South Jordan.
“Are you kidding me? I’ve been waiting for years. I’m so sick of going to the games at Smith’s Ballpark,” said fan Paxton Nielsen. “I am so excited.”
Utah baseball and the Salt Lake Bees shared Smith's Ballpark since 1996 and with the departure of the Bees, Salt Lake City announced plans to transform the area where the stadium sits.
In January, university leaders hinted that they were working to determine the "best long-term plan for providing a home field for the baseball program."
While plans are being newly unveiled, site evaluation for a ballpark on campus has been in the works for "nearly a decade."
Following careful consideration, university leaders believe the location on Guardsman Way, where the current baseball practice field is, would be the "most beneficial for our baseball program and our fans," explained Harlan.
Residents who live in the area have raised concerns about the potential location of the new stadium, citing traffic, parking, noise, safety, and lighting.
“I don’t know where they’re going to put all these cars,” said Janet Hemming, chair of the Yalecrest Neighborhood Council. “There’s not enough parking on the street.”
“If they’re able to expand the field, and buy out that park, absolutely,” said Nielsen.
University leaders said the design of the stadium has been modified to address the concerns and has been scaled back from earlier proposals to fit the space appropriately.
Hemming said the neighborhood feels “blindsided,” claiming they were not included in the latest discussions and decision-making.
“I am an alumna of the University of Utah but right now at this moment I’m extremely disappointed and ashamed of my university,” she said.
Beyond university use, Harlan says he hopes the ballpark becomes a community space.
"We look forward to working with our neighborhood partners to construct the best facility for our program, our fans, nearby residents and Salt Lake City," he said. "Providing a turf baseball field in Salt Lake City, intended for joint usage with the community, will be a tremendous asset that benefits all levels of baseball in Salt Lake City."
