Plenty of time

There is a new lease for the Kane County Cougars.

Cougars ink deal to stay

The Kane County Cougars and Kane County Forest Preserve District have agreed on a new deal that will keep the Class A Midwest League team at Elfstrom Stadium for another 20 years.

As part of the deal, the Forest Preserve District agreed to put $8 million toward an estimated 10.5 million stadium expansion. The Cougars will pay the additional $2.5 million, and the expansion is scheduled to be completed by the opening of the 2009 season.

That's a good deal. This makes it a bit better.

Additionally, the new deal gives the Cougars the rights to sell the name of the stadium to a sponsor. The overall property will still be called the Philip B. Elfstrom Kane County Events Center, but the stadium name will be open to sponsorship.

UPDATE: Whoops. Posted this before I got to the Chicago Tribune story about this. It goes into a bit more detail.

Like this:

District officials have been conferring with team owners for the last few months on ways to keep the renovation project on track despite a "low bid" that topped $12 million.

Construction plans call for the addition of a concourse overhang, upper-deck suites, increased seating and expanded service and office amenities to the 17-year-old stadium.

Hoscheit said the district and team officials "believe it could be done for $10.5 million."

and this:

Efforts are under way to obtain a $400,000 state grant to help offset the cost of the project's architectural fees, Hoscheit said. In addition to installing a plaque honoring Elfstrom, the former forest district president credited with bringing minor-league baseball to Kane County in 1991, the district plans to rename the events center in his honor.

"I'm happy that everything is done and it gives us an opportunity to get the ballpark finished and give the fans what they need," said Cougars general manager Jeff Sedivy.