Whitecaps unveil 5-year master plan

Whitecaps unveil 5-year master plan
<strong> Courtesy West Michigan Whitecaps </strong>

The West Michigan Whitecaps are preparing for the next phase of the team’s longtime tenure in the region with a master plan for LMCU Ballpark.

Whitecaps executives laid out the plan during a press conference Thursday, Jan. 12, promising the multi-year project will modernize and further engrain the ballpark in the community. The projects will begin later this year, with Phase 1 set for completion prior to the 2024 season. All phases are expected to be complete within five years.

“This ballpark is full of history, championships and memories for so many West Michigan families, including my own,” said Whitecaps CEO and Managing Partner Joe Chamberlin. “Our primary objective in leading this franchise has always been to ensure that we are growing our fan base and that we are preparing to meet the needs of the next generation of Whitecaps fans, just as we have done for fans over the last 30 years.

“Once complete, this project will deliver the venue that the ‘best minor league sports market in the country’ deserves and will ensure that LMCU Ballpark remains a top tier facility, both locally and nationally, for Whitecaps games, concerts and special events for decades to come.”

All construction projects are privately financed by the team’s ownership group.

To come up with the master plan, the Whitecaps worked with architects from the Detroit-based Rossetti, a firm known worldwide for its work on sports and entertainment facilities. Locally, the team worked with Progressive AE and Erhardt Construction.

“These design renovations will enhance the experience for baseball fans and players alike, creating new social spaces and addressing player facilities to exceed MLB standards,” said Rossetti partner Kirk Phillips. “When completed, the improved ballpark will surprise and delight this great community for many future seasons.

“It was important to us to go above and beyond when reimagining LMCU Ballpark because it is so well known in the industry as a top-notch facility. We feel the improvements to this unique facility will be impressive at any professional level.”

LMCU Ballpark’s future is, at least in part, shaped by the changing landscape of Minor League Baseball. In 2021, Major League Baseball took a more involved role with its affiliate network and shook up the system with a full restructuring.

The minor league system shrank from 160 teams to 120. Within that consolidation, the Whitecaps moved from its previous Low-A designation in its affiliation with the Detroit Tigers to High-A.

With MLB’s increased involvement in the minor leagues, it imposed stricter facility guidelines, especially for the players. Phase 1 will improve the facility for the players by:

  • Turning the third base clubhouse from the visitors to the home clubhouse, with enhanced player spaces, a larger weight room and training facilities, a dedicated space for women on staff and a state-of-the-art batting tunnel.
  • A new playing surface and new drainage system.
  • Bullpens will be moved from the field to behind the right field wall, with outfield dimensions reconfigured to match those seen on MLB fields.
  • Stadium lights were already upgraded last fall to be brighter with LED lights, which are also capable of light shows.

Phase 1 will also include multiple upgrades for fans, largely focused on hospitality experiences. Those upgrades include:

  • A new suite-level space built above the batting tunnel at the end of the third base structure. It will include floor-to-ceiling windows, an outdoor balcony and a bar space for food and beverage service. It is expected to act similar to the Pepsi Stadium Club.
  • Enlarged group spaces will take over the existing lawn slopes on both sides of the stadium. Those will include several tiers of seating and gathering areas from the concourse to field level. Netting will extend from beyond the dugouts to the foul poles.
  • A new lawn space will be created above the bullpens in right field.

“LMCU Ballpark continues to be a popular destination for summer outings and social gatherings,” said Whitecaps President Steve McCarthy. “The additional hospitality spaces will allow us to accommodate even more groups and provide more unique offerings than ever before. Each space will have its own character and distinctive seating layout, including ample space for casual gathering.”

Phase 2 will include more projects encompassing the entire LMCU Ballpark property. Those include:

  • A reimagined stadium entrance, including a view of the field once visitors reach the top of the stairs
  • Exterior site activation
  • Beautification of the 45 acres
  • Fully updated suite level
  • Expanded concourse with new and improved food
  • New CapSized Shop and new ticket office
  • A 360-degree concourse to allow fans a look of the field from all angles
  • A 400-seat center field hospitality club and special events center

The Whitecaps believe the new master plan will help shape the next 30 years of baseball in West Michigan, building on the first 30 years. The 30th season opens April 6 at LMCU Ballpark.

Since the team’s first season in 1994, the ballpark has welcomed more than 11 million fans into its seats.

“This venue has always been one of the best in minor league baseball, and we have maintained it incredibly well over the last 30 years,” Chamberlin said. “But there is nothing like a new ballpark, and that’s what we are committed to delivering to West Michigan. When this project is completed, LMCU Ballpark will look and feel like a brand-new facility ready to meet the needs of a new generation of fans. It’s going to be fun to see how this community responds to work we have planned; I think they are going to love it.”

This story can be found in the Jan. 23 issue of the Grand Rapids Business Journal. To get more stories like this delivered to your mailbox, subscribe here.