The long-awaited renovations to Blair Field could be about 15 months away from starting, according to Long Beach State Athletics Director Vic Cegles.
Cegles said the end of the 2015 Dirtbags season is the target for the start of the project, and that about $16 million still needs to be raised to fund it.
“We have plans to begin solicitations pretty soon,” he said. “We have different people we’ve identified to help us with that.”
The project got a little help during the 2013 Dirtbags season, when the Dirtbags Pavilion party patio was opened. The Pavilion was open for seven games during the 2013 season and featured field-level viewing, satellite TV, guest speakers and premium concessions. All of the proceeds went toward the Blair Field renovations.
Fundraising, however, isn’t the only element at work delaying the renovation. Cegles said the project would still have to go through an approval process with the city and state, just as all building projects do.
“If you go to Texas or schools that we compete against in terms of baseball, the facilities that they have are incredible,” Cegles said. “We need to [do the renovation], or we can’t compete.”
Cegles also said that a renovation to the field, which LBSU has a 55-year lease on, would help show that the school is invested in its athletics.
“Kids are smart consumers, and by being smart consumers, they know when a school is committed or not committed,” he said. “Blair Field is 50 yeards old … we need to enhance that facility.”
Among the planned renovations are a new practice infield, five new batting tunnels and a two-story building for administration offices, suites and a press box. A timetable for construction to begin will not be officially set until the finances are secured.