Biloxi Shuckers Stadium Could be Done in June

The first scheduled home game for the Biloxi Shuckers is just over one month away, and with the clock ticking, city and team officials are working to safely speed things along. With construction of the stadium seemingly ahead of schedule, News 25 spoke to both sides to see if they’re ready for a possible early start.

It won’t be long until you’ll be able to hear the crack of the bat on a warm Biloxi night, but opening day is approaching quickly, and the team is working to tie up loose ends. Tim Bennett, co-owner of the Shuckers, says, "We’ve actually sold out all of our suites. We’re now engaged with Coke as our pouring rights sponsor. Most of our contracts are starting to come in, season ticket sales are going well, so things are right on schedule as far as the baseball team is concerned."

While the baseball team is on schedule, stadium construction seems to be ahead of schedule. Most estimates have a completion date of early August, but rumors and the Shuckers’ own website shows the first home game at the Biloxi stadium scheduled for June 6th.

City leaders are hoping to find a way to speed up the first home game, especially since the city will have to pay a fine of $10,000 for each home game missed. Vincent Creel, Public Affairs Manager for Biloxi, says, "The City Council, on Tuesday, is going to be looking into all options, and they’re going to weigh the cost of pursuing the options versus the cost of the fines, so whatever they can do to speed it up, they want to do."

Whether it happens in June or August, the now field of dirt will soon be a field of dreams, and while residents wait for players to swing for the fences, city and team officials just want to play ball. Bennett also says, "We’re extremely anxious. This is something that was a dream of Mayor A.J. Holloway that started 11 years ago. We continued to go through everything Katrina, spill, recession, the change in administration, so many different things have happened."

The completion date of the stadium isn’t the only uncertainty. As the city prepares to vote for a new mayor, some fear the stadium could be caught in the middle. Creel closes, "You could see the stadium become a political football, even after it opens, because frankly, there are still going to be expenses involved in that."

With any luck, Coast residents will be singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame in just a matter of weeks.