The University of Maine announced the next steps of its Athletics Facilities Master Plan, a UMS TRANSFORMS initiative, on Saturday, Nov. 23 at a ceremonial groundbreaking celebration held inside the New Balance Field House.
This includes the New Balance Track & Field and Soccer Complex and Morse Arena. The projects, and others already completed as well as in the pipeline, are made possible by a transformational $320 million commitment from the Harold Alfond Foundation to the University of Maine System (UMS), which includes a $170 million investment in UMaine Athletics to fund its Athletics Facilities Master Plan as part of UMS TRANSFORMS.
The New Balance Track & Field and Soccer Complex, named for a $7 million commitment from New Balance Athletics, will begin construction this month with a targeted date for opening in October 2025. The project will feature a state-of-the-art soccer turf complex adjacent to a modernized track along with new spaces for field competition. Also located inside the track will be a multipurpose area to provide additional support for athletics and community events. [Go Black Bears]
The University of Maine unveiled Skip Chappelle Court on Sunday afternoon.
— Maine Athletics (@BlackBearNation) November 24, 2024
📝: https://t.co/G2uaCH8pv8#blackbearnation pic.twitter.com/gDZ6LHLRgW
Golden Rule Entertainment, the parent company of the Quincy Baseball Club, announced Nov. 15 that Quincy will field a team in the Prospect League during the summer of 2025. President Jamie Toole introduced during a press conference other members of the ownership group and Brad Gyorkos as the team’s manager, as well as a name-the-team contest.
However, the elephant in the room was not publicly addressed.
Former owners Jimmie and Julie Louthan were concerned with safety and infrastructure needs at QU Stadium when they decided in September 2023 to sell the Quincy Gems to Full Count Ministries of Henderson, Tenn. The Full Count Rhythm played in the Prospect League during the 2024 season but disbanded after one year.
The stadium concerns remain, and a plan to pay for renovations to the stadium — built in 1938 — continues to be the topic of conversations with officials from Quincy University, the City of Quincy and Toole and Tim Hoker with Golden Rule Entertainment. [Muddy River News]
Mission City Athletics has proposed opening an indoor recreation space for baseball and softball players in an existing building in the Industrial Park at 53 Lancaster Drive.
The Planning and Zoning Commission approved a text amendment in the summer and has since accepted a special exemption application with the initial Oct. 17 hearing continued to Nov. 21 at 6:15 p.m. at Town Hall.
The Planning and Zoning Commission opened a hearing on May 16 for a text amendment application for the amendment to Section 9 to define “Indoor Recreation” and Section 42 to allow “Indoor Recreation” as a permitted use in the Industrial Park Zone.
The building has 12 units and eight unit owners divided among a several businesses including Korzon Screen Printing as well as an electrician, theater service group, a wood worker, and a heavy equipment cranes worker. This structure has a business-type condo association and has 21 parking spaces.
The commission approved the text amendment to sections 9 and 42 in July with an effective date for Aug. 8.[My Citizen News]
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