Stadium renovations delayed another year
A renovation to the Kane County Cougars’ stadium originally set for the end of the 2006 season has been pushed back again.20 questions with Jeff Sedivy
A contract signed last year by the Cougars and the Kane County Forest Preserve District, which owns Elfstrom Stadium, promised an upper deck of suites and an increase in the size of the concession, gift shop and office areas. The work was set to start in fall 2006. Then it was moved back to fall 2007.
“It’s not going to happen, in all likelihood,” forest preserve President John Hoscheit said Friday.
Now 2008 could be the year.
Cougars General Manager Jeff Sedivy said delays were to be expected when dealing with government contracts. By law, the work on the preserve-owned stadium must go to the lowest responsible bidder.
“It’s one of those things that we’re basically married to the process we have to follow,” Sedivy said.
5. Looking back on this season’s All-Star Game, what do you think you did well as hosts, and what would you do differently?
I thought from a promotional standpoint and from a fan experience standpoint, it was very, very well done. Since you only do it every seven years, though, I think we forgot some of the details. We didn’t treat the fans like they have no affiliation to these players. You have to teach them from square one – we didn’t do that well. Announcing player numbers, or putting their numbers on the roster inserts. ... That small stuff that I didn’t think we’d miss, we missed.
6. You were again second in the Midwest League in attendance this season, but after peaking at an average of 7,941 fans in 2003, attendance was down for a fourth straight season this year, coming in at 7,213, the lowest since 1999. How do you account for that downturn ... and how do you reverse that trend?
A couple things. I’ll never be a guy that hides behind one thing. We need to do a better job of selling our product. But things that didn’t help sell our product was one, we had road construction on one of our main arteries all year, and I underestimated the impact of that. Two, our first half – that was the most miserable display I’ve seen since 1991, so I would say that hurt us, and I think I underestimated that and the impact it would have on the second half. So if you put those two together – construction, team and then Mother Nature. I mean, we had two weeks of rain in August – largest rainfall ever in the month of August in our history.
7. There’s been an explosion of minor league baseball across the country and specifically, in the Chicago area, where the Cougars have been pioneers. Do think that recent explosion has helped or hurt the Cougars?
I think that’s a two-part answer. Imitation is the biggest form of flattery. Well, so far, I haven’t found anybody who can imitate us. So therefore, the original is still the best. I’ve been there, I’ve seen it. I went to both parks this year [in Joliet and Schaumburg] for the first time in five years. The fan experience isn’t even close. It’s not even half of what ours is. So I believe in our product more than I ever have.
10. The Elfstrom Stadium upgrades (which will include a finished upper level, covered concourse, additional suites, home plate group area and more office space) have been postponed for another year. What’s your reaction to that?
From my perspective, it’s a big governmental process, so we’re at the mercy of the process. What I am excited about is that even though we’re gonna have to postpone for a year, I’m excited about the opportunity to get ahead of the construction schedule instead of being on the back end, and knowing full well that we’re going to be at the front end of people’s agenda. OK, right now, they don’t have much business on the books for the fall of ’08. But yeah, it’s extremely disappointing, especially to have to tell my staff. And it’s disappointing for the fans. And it’s disappointing that I have to deal with it for the second year in a row. I’ve been working at this since ’99 to get this final piece built, and it’s a project that must get done, and will get done. We’re gonna stay the course.
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