One of Major League Baseball’s (MLB) leading global authorities on stadiums and facilities, Murray Cook, has visited Lismore’s Albert Park Baseball facility, in another significant step forward for the Regional Centre’s drive to become the home of baseball operations in Australia.
Cook is familiar with Lismore City Council’s and Baseball Australia’s joint submission and plans to upgrade the Northern Rivers facility, to a level that will see it able to host International teams and training camps, as well as various Australian National Team baseball programs.
Cook has been flown out to Lismore from the US by the MLB to provide further insight and support to the Albert Park facility master plan and its ability to provide an international baseball training and playing facility.
With over 25 years experience in delivering gold-standard international baseball facilities in over 60 countries around the world, Cook is simply known in baseball circles as “the field guru.” He delivered the MLB Opening Series at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2014, has multiple World Baseball Classic tournaments, Olympic facilities, and IBAF Tournaments, so Cook is well placed to comment on the Albert Park facilities ability to provide a world-class training facility.
“Clearly, the established footprint of the facility provides a great foundation, and with the right level of investment, proper design and construction, this facility can certainly host elite baseball programs and spring training camps for international teams,” said Cook.
“Whilst I have previously only reviewed the conceptual facility plans - it’s not until you actually have the opportunity to walk the site , look at the structure of the land and grass, view grading concepts and understand how these areas will all work within the proposed building infrastructure – that you can fully Envision the positive impact it will have on Australia's future youth baseball programs ”
“This is a very exciting project and those involved should be confident that if funded , design and constructed properly, it has the potential of becoming the best baseball training venue in Australia”
Cook will spend some time in Lismore meeting with Baseball Australia and Lismore Council Officials to work through the operational delivery of the $4.47 million facility upgrade submission currently before the NSW Government for consideration.
Lismore City Council Tourism and Events Manager Mitch Lowe said it was exciting to see MLB’s top field and facility expert travel all the way from New York to provide input into our plans of developing a national and international baseball hub seriously.
“Murray is considered the world baseball facility guru and to have his input into our Albert Park Facility will ensure we get things right from the start and deliver a world class facility,” said Lowe.
“Baseball Australia has indicated it would commit to hosting key national events, international team training camps and National Team activities in Lismore for at least five years if the upgrade was funded.”
Lowe continued, “an upgraded facility would inject more than $9 million per annum into Lismore’s economy. It's fantastic to have MLB officials in Lismore inspecting our facilities to see what programs and events could be possible if an upgrade occurs. We could see a raft of international activity at Albert Park in years to come. With the support of government and partners this project is close to being a reality.”
Baseball Australia Chief Executive Officer Brett Pickett was equally buoyed by the increasing support being thrown behind the Lismore bid.
“The Lismore community have a proud baseball history and there is clearly a willingness at Council and community level to make this unique opportunity a reality,” said Pickett.
“With Murray’s site inspection and input into this project, what we are proposing is becoming more ‘real’ every day, and will provide a great economic benefit to the Lismore community, and provide a great home for Australian Baseball Operations as we prepare for qualification to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.”