Construction is well on its way at Joe O’Brien Field.
Burleson Construction started the past week on renovations that will see the installation of a new clubhouse at the field along with work on the backstop.
“Burleson has been on site for about a week or so, and things are moving along just fine,” said Twins General Manager and Elizabethton Parks and Rec Director Mike Mains. “They are just such a great team to work with. They have assisted us with a couple things.”
The construction crew is working to remove concrete from the old Black Bottom Pool that used to be at the site. The concrete must be removed so that the foundation for the new clubhouse can be laid.
“It was a public pool that was here for years and years,” said Mains.
Seeing crews break ground at the facility brought a little bit of closure for Mains.
“It brings a great deal of closure to a question that we have had for a long time whether Minor League Baseball will continue in our community,” said Mains. “Seeing the progress that is being made now is very rewarding not only to our staff but to everyone that has been so involved in this process. A lot of hours of conversations have gone over the past few years. And there was a lot of uncertainty.”
Mains also said the groundbreaking is a sign of what the future holds for Elizabethton and baseball.
“To me, it is a sign and an answer that Minor League Baseball will be here for years to come,” said Mains. “We will continue to have players like Joe Mauer, Kirby Puckett, and other top draft picks come through here. That is important to me because people of all ages can come to watch them.”