Visalia Valley Strong Ballpark steps up its game, City invests in improvements

VISALIA, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – The City of Visalia and Visalia Rawhide are teaming up to upgrade the Valley Strong Ballpark.

They plan to replace the wooden back fence with a padded one, replace the stadium lights and upgrade the team clubhouses.

This is after Major League Baseball announced new standards for its affiliated ballparks.

“We are excited to be continuing the rich history of Minor League Baseball in this community that has been so supportive of the team for over seven decades,” Visalia Rawhide President and Co-Owner Sam Sigal said.

Sigal says he is thankful for the city’s partnership in improving the stadium.

CEO of Downtown Visalia Steve Nelson says the City is investing around $7 million into the project.

The property belongs to them, so he says it is in their best interest to keep it in usable condition.

“When you look at the history and the heart of downtown, there’s a long history with baseball in this area. And I think when you combine those two histories together, it’s a great accomplishment,” Nelson said.

The team was first established in 1946, but improvements are required for the team to continue representing Visalia.

“It’s like anything. You can let a building deteriorate or you can keep it up to current standards,” Nelson said.

Nelson says the upgrades don’t only benefit the team, though -they benefit the entire city.

“It brings people in the downtown area. I mean, some people that come to the game may not be from this area, so they come down and they frequent downtown and then they go to the game. Sometimes after a game, they’ll come down to some of the local establishments and hang out,” Nelson said.

The City of Visalia expects the improvements to be ready for the next season.

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