Ron Bleeker This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. Collegiate team plans field

   www.hcnews.com/news/get-news.a - [Cached]

   Last Visited: 1/22/2004

   Ron Bleeker, owner of the TCL's Granbury Generals, confirmed Wednesday he has plans for a multi-million dollar, 3,500-seat stadium. The TCL is an 8-team collegiate baseball league with teams from Granbury school superintendent William Harris and Bleeker both said the land is 28-acres adjacent to Acton Middle School off James Road.
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   Bleeker said he expects the stadium to be full, and he says the team will dump plenty of money into Granbury's tourist-driven economy. "Some probably think I'm crazy, but I know this will bring enormous amounts of people to Granbury," Bleeker said. "Also people will come to the ball game and might spend the night, and it just means a lot of dollars stay right here in Granbury." Bleeker, who also owns the Heritage House Bed and Breakfast, said he already has a four-night reservation for one group who wants to see the games.
   
   He added the games are affordable and will feature some of the best collegiate players from all around the country. "The objective here is to provide a family venue, and you can afford it," Bleeker said. Ticket prices are $6 per adult, $4 for students and $2 for little kids. A season ticket is $150. The venue, to be completed by June, is complete with a team store with Granbury Generals merchandise, adequate restroom facilities, luxury boxes, box seats and a press box. Even the Granbury Generals mascot will have an air-conditioned suit. But that's not all. In 2005 a Jumbotron scoreboard will be added, Bleeker said. Besides just being used for the Generals, Bleeker and GISD have agreed for the Granbury High Pirate baseball team to use it as its home field during baseball season. Harris said he is excited about that part of the deal. "I think this will be great for our kids," Harris said. The TCL originally planned on using Granbury ISD's Tidwell Field for its games, but Bleeker said he just didn't think it would work. "We were looking at $500,000 for extra bleachers, and I could already envision the long lines for the restrooms," Bleeker said. "We just decided to begin building something different." Bleeker said college teams from the northern part of the United States also are planning to come south in the spring and play week-long tournaments. Bleeker expects the stadium to provide a minor-league baseball atmosphere and be particularly fun for the kids. He wants the community to be a part of the games as well. He already is forming a Community Coordination Council to decide how to do that, and he intends to have plenty of fun games for those who come to the venue. He also said he intends to have plenty of promotional nights with ways for fans to get a discount on admission. "It's a huge investment, and I want to get the community involved," Bleeker said.