HAWKS HAPPENINGS AT MEMORIAL STADIUM 2010

With all of the news in the air about the Hawks being a catalyst for a new stadium development project in either Boise or Meridian for the future, it leaves the question about what is happening at Memorial Stadium in the present.  A new stadium is still quite a ways down the line so the Hawks need to address today as much as addressing the future.  I just wanted to share with you a little bit of what is going on here as we plan on being in Memorial Stadium for at least the next 2-3 years, and who knows, maybe much, much longer.  Here are some of the projects we are working on right now:

New front office - Many people probably don't even know that our front office isn't at the ballpark.  It is currently down the street right near the corner of Glenwood and Chinden.  In 2000, the team was owned by a radio group and they moved from the stadium to an off-site office near the Boise Towne Square.  After 3 years there, the team was sold and chose again to have offices located off-site and we have been here ever since.  There was a long-term lease signed and we have contemplated moving back the ballpark for a few years now and on May 3rd, the Hawks front office will again be at the ballpark!  It will be a little tight for our staff but we are taking over the merchandise store area and the office that is located behind there and coming up with a nice space.  It is going to be great to have one spot fans can come and find us.  From a marketing standpoint, this is the only way to go.

New merchandise store - Or rather, merchandise trailer.  We have secured a "NASCAR" like merchandise trailer and will have it located on the main concourse of the stadium outside of the old merchandise store.  This is really going to raise the visibility of the store and make it much easier for fans to track down where to buy a team cap or t-shirt.  In the past, the store was located right inside the front gates but was very difficult to find.  The frontage wasn't good and the signage wasn't enough.  Hopefully this new addition will make it easier for everyone to see what we have.  FYI - new alternate caps this summer featuring an orange crown, green bill and the "talon" logo on the front.

Clubhouse expansion - Not a huge one, but we are responding to some of the requests of our parent club, the Cubs, into making the clubhouse a little roomier.  There is a space that was a storage room for our grounds crew that makes a wonderful spot to expand the manager and coaches' office.  It will double the space that is used by up to eight people at a time when you factor roving instructors.  We will be addressing more clubhouse issues in the next couple of years as well but this is step one.

Hawks Nest Cafe expansion - We will be adding more tables in the "cafe" area that are used by season ticket holders and fans to have a nice sit down dinner before the games.  In 2009 we had about 18 tables and this year we will add another 6-8 tables as the area gets more popular year-after-year.  Also, look for more menu options and some post-game events in this area on Friday nights.

Every summer we are thinking about the next summer and what additions and expansions we can make to accomodate the fans.  Unfortunately in 2010, a few of our projects are more about getting "non-fan" areas addressed so that we can make our affiliate happy and save some money to reinvest in the ballpark for 2011. 

As I stated in my first blog, Memorial Stadium is our "Home Sweet Home" and we need to continue to offer it TLC and upgrade it for our fans.  Even though we are pursuing options on new stadium projects, we are not forgetting about Memorial Stadium and our mindset is that we will be here for the rest of our lease through 2038.  With that in mind, you have to continue to strive for upgrading the facility and our company to better deliver the Hawks to the Treasure Valley.  We are committed to customer service, a clean atmosphere and fun, fun and more fun!  Sprinkle in some good food and it is a nice night out to the ballpark. 

Curb appeal will be different in 2010 as well as you will see the new marketing campaign "Hawkstown USA" marked all over the park.  Tune in for my next blog discussing the Hawkstown USA concept.