Warner set to build new on-campus baseball stadium

Warner will officially announce plans to build a new baseball stadium on campus this weekend.

After receiving an anonymous donation of $500,000, the school will put that money toward the building of a new on-campus baseball complex. According to the school, the donor hopes others will “step up to the plate” to match the gift as the total costs will be close to $1.4 million.

There will be an announcement before the Royals’ senior day doubleheader against Keiser on Saturday.

The event will also include food and comments from Warner President David Hoag.

“I think it lifts everyone’s spirit,” athletic director John Dunlap said. “It invigorates everyone, even the alumni base, local community, the Warner community. It’s just an exciting thing to happen on campus anytime you’re pushing dirt.”

The project will consist of three phases that are expected to be completed as money is raised.

Royals Field was constructed in 1992 and will receive its first major makeover since. Phase one construction, Dunlap said, will begin in the fall and hopefully be done in time for the spring season. It includes the addition of locker rooms, coaching offices, a conference room and restrooms.

The second phase will focus on the fan experience with a covered stadium, press box, concession stand and VIP area while the third and final phase will bring stadium lights to the park. The Royals cannot play night games currently due to a lack of lights.

“It’s really going to focus on the student athlete experience,” Dunlap said. “That only can help recruiting. Anytime you’re building, anytime you’re moving forward in a program, it’s exciting for the whole campus, but especially that program.”

Warner was hoping to bring its football program to an on-campus facility in 2017, but Dunlap said those plans have been put on the backburner. The school had committed around $2.7 million to constructing an agriculture building on campus, a project that is currently coming along.

Brady Fredericksen can be reached at brady.fredericksen@theledger.com or 863-802-7553. Follow him on Twitter: @Brady_Fred.