SLC Votes To Keep Bees At Smith’s Ballpark Amid Neighborhood Updates
Jun 15, 2022, 5:09 PM
Smith's Ballpark in Salt Lake City is pictured on Tuesday, April 7, 2020. (Courtesy of Deseret News)
(Courtesy of Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Salt Lake City Council voted to keep the Salt Lake Bees at Smith’s Ballpark despite the approval of some major neighborhood changes on the horizon.
On Tuesday, June 14, the council met and voted to approve a new venue lease with the Bees. The move is part of a framework to allow the Minor League Baseball club to remain at Smith’s Ballpark past the end date of its current lease agreement, which concludes after Salt Lake’s 2024 season. The new lease would keep the Bees in Salt Lake for an additional six years.
The council voted to approve the legacy lease after receiving a report regarding upgrades to the neighborhood surrounding Smith’s Ballpark. A week before the council’s vote, Salt Lake City planners unveiled a master plan for the area.
“I can’t stress enough how much potential we have in the Ballpark neighborhood,” city council vice chairman Darin Mano said. “I know the neighborhood very, very well and I’m so excited for the energy that is finally being put into the neighborhood.”
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By approving the lease, Smith’s Ballpark will become a foundational piece to the major renovation of Ballpark neighborhood. One possibility that could arrive from the revitalization of the area is a potential addition to the venue that would allow for additional use beyond baseball games.
The Larry H. Miller Company, which owns the club, still has to come to an agreement with the council.
“I know this negotiation will take a couple of months,” LHM chief corporate affairs officer Amanda Convington said via KSL.com. “Our commitment to one another is that we’ll work very hard over the summer and early fall so that we can come to some sort of resolution that’s beneficial for everybody.”
The Salt Lake Bees were founded in 1994 and have played at Smith’s Ballpark since they were established. The Bees are the MiLB affiliate of Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Angels.
Bees games can be heard on The Zone Sports Network.
