City of Muskegon Re-Ups Marsh Field Agreement With Lakeshore Baseball Club
Andrew Trzaska | December 11, 2012
Muskegon’s City Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to renew its agreement with the Lakeshore Baseball Club to operate and maintain the historic Marsh Field on Laketon Avenue for at least the next three years.
The cash-strapped city does not have the funds to maintain the field at this time, and entered in an agreement with the Lakeshore Baseball Club (LBC) back in 2010 to maintain the field. More recently, the LBC also entered an agreement with the city to maintain Campbell Field on the otherside of Seaway Drive.
In the past three years the LBC has improved seating, fencing and padding at the field, and replaced the flagpole, scoreboard and PA system.
The renewal of the contract between the LBC and the city does come with some changes in terms of the previous deal. Among the changes includes a change in responsibilities for portable and permanent restrooms, more city involvement in maintaining the park outside of the immediate stadium area, and changes in the scheduling and billing relationships between the LBC and Muskegon Public Schools, whose high school team uses the field as their home turf.
Documents obtained from the city indicate Muskegon Public Schools’ athletic director Keith Guy was sent copies of the contract between the city and the LBC for review.
The newly approved contract would last for three years, and one year extensions could be voted on each year starting in 2013, meaning the LBC could have a perpetual three-year contract with the city.
Marsh Field’s history stretches back almost 97 years to May of 1916, when it started its existence as the home to the professional Muskegon Reds team. Women, negro league, high school and prep teams have all played at the field. According a website designed to promote use of the field and fund improvements, future improvement projects are set to include improvements to field lighting and the concession stand, as well as grandstand seating.