The owner of the Wisconsin Woodchucks will fund the $2.7 million in renovations of Athletic Park in Wausau.
The renovation is scheduled to begin in August and will replace the ballpark’s 450-seat grandstand, add two luxury suites and premium seating to the historic ballpark and eventually will include rebuilt bleachers, retail areas, concession stands and group-outing decks, according to a press release jointly issued by the city and ball team.
The remodel project will take roughly three to five years, Woodchucks owner Mark Macdonald said.
“The renovation of Athletic Park will create an asset that the community can be proud of, not just the city of Wausau but all of central Wisconsin,” Macdonald told the Wausau Daily Herald today.
The ballpark renovation might also help revitalize the city’s north side neighborhood, which sits around the field, Macdonald said. His family will donate two properties adjacent to the field and offer $20,000 for development of a neighborhood park, the newspaper reported.
Wausau Mayor Jim Tipple said the city will develop the neighborhood park and also will provide additional lighting and parking for the area surrounding the parks.
“The city will step up to the plate,” Tipple said during today’s news conference. “I think this is going to be a positive for the neighborhood.”
Once the field is remodeled, Macdonald said he hopes to attract events to the park, including summer concerts or all-star league games.
“The renovation of Athletic Park will create an asset that the community can be proud of, not just the city of Wausau but all of central Wisconsin,” Macdonald said today.
