by Dennis Dalman
At its last meeting, the Sartell City Council agreed to give $100,000 toward the purchase of night-lighting systems for the two large baseball fields in Pinecone Central Park.
The vote was 4-0. Council member Jill Smith was not present at the meeting.
The request for the city’s help with the lighting project was made by the Sartell Baseball Association (SBA). The funding authorized by the city will come entirely from a city commission/board (Convention and Visitors Bureau) dubbed “Everything Sartell,” which collects hotel tax dollars. So far, there is only one hotel, AmericInn, within the city limits of Sartell.
The Everything Sartell fund is expected to exceed $160,000 by the end of 2023. Money from that fund is to be used only for projects that draw visitors to the city. The SBA presented to the council statistics that the lighting project would indeed fit that requirement. Thousands of out-of-town baseball players and their families come to Sartell every year to compete in baseball games and tournaments. The SBA noted that at least 10,000 visitors come to the city during the summer months, mainly to play baseball and compete in tournaments. Adding lighting to the two major fields would expand the kinds of tournament at Pinecone Central Park and also make possible extended hours of night-time play, according to the SBA.
The original request to the city was $75,000 from Everything Sartell and another $25,000 from the city’s park funds. However, Mayor Ryan Fitzthum suggested the entire amount, $100,000, should come from Everything Sartell, and the council members agreed.
The entire cost of the lighting systems is $400,000. The SBA has been raising funds, and generous donations have been pledges from St. Cloud Subaru, State Farm and Mr. Twisty’s – a total of $165,000. The SBA now has $197,500 for the lighting project – plus the $100,000 from Everything Sartell. The SBA plans to secure the rest of the funds needed, about $100,000, as a loan from a local bank.
The field-lighting systems will be installed in the fall and winter of 2024.
