Updated Stadiums Sought in Savannah, Marion

photo: Paul Crumlish

The Savannah Sand Gnats (Nationals) of the South Atlantic League are asking for upgrades to the 65-year old stadium.

The Savannah Morning News reports that Sand Gnats owner John Simmons wants $10-million spent by Georgia's first city to upgrade the facility.

He estimates he's spent $500,000 toward improvements for aging Grayson Stadium since buying the minor-league baseball club 21 months ago,

Now Simmons hopes Savannah and Chatham County officials will ante up, too.

The Illinois lawyer wants $10 million from the upcoming Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendum to renovate the 65-year-old ballpark.

Simmons' proposal, which will be announced at a press conference at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Grayson Stadium, could be placed on the Sept. 19 ballot.

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Simmons told the Savannah newspaper that he has no plans to move the team if the Grayson Stadium proposal isn't approved.

Meanwhile, in Marion, IL, a stadium is already being built for the recently-announced Frontier League team. The Daily Herald reports that area educators are very unhappy about the money spent on the stadium.

One such district is Johnston City, just a few miles north of Marion. The district has been waiting four years for $528,000 from the state to help pay for a library and classroom additions.

When district Superintendent Gary Schurz heard last week that the governor was just a few miles down the road and had found another million dollars to benefit a baseball stadium, his reaction wasn't pleasant.

"It's not printable," Schurz said.

Marion, IL was rumored last year to be the destination of the SAL's Savannah Sand Gnats when Simmon's bought the team. His wife is owner of the newly-announced Marion team.