Christina Hall

Detroit Free Press

In seven years, there were five proposals floated for a baseball stadium in Utica, Mayor Jacqueline Noonan said.

Some of the concepts were larger than the $12-million stadium now under construction in the Macomb County city. But this one, being built by Rochester-based General Sports and Entertainment, was different.

It was smaller, more intimate and, Noonan noted, the company president and chief executive officer, Andy Appleby, "had a checkbook" to back up his proposal.

The 2,000-seat stadium, named Jimmy John's Field, is ahead of schedule and expected to open in June. It will be home to the new semipro, independent United Shore Professional Baseball League with three teams, whose names, bright-colored logos and mascots were unveiled during a launch party before screaming Eppler Junior High students, whose school is in the shadow of the ballpark.

"This isn't something just for the city of Utica. This is gonna be a destination location," Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel said. "Many times along the way, we wondered is it really gonna happen? This is gonna be an incredible asset to the city of Utica and beyond."

The stadium is being built on land that was the site of a capped brownfield that was formerly an unlicensed dump for household waste at Auburn and Moscone. A year after the stadium is complete, Noonan said, there are plans for condos and retail on nearby acreage, adding even more economic boost for the area.

During a music-filled school assembly in which T-shirts and soft baseballs were tossed to students, the team names were unveiled — Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers, Eastside Diamond Hoppers and Utica Unicorns — with the last one getting the loudest roar. The names were chosen via a fan vote competition.

"I think it's pretty neat. I have a feeling I'll be going there a lot," said Gabrielle Smith, 13, an eighth-grader from Shelby Township who is watching the stadium construction as her bus passes the site daily on the way to school.

Ninth-grader Mone Knowles, 14, of Shelby Township, also likes the stadium, saying "I can actually go to a home game now."

A tall crane sits amid the construction at the ballpark, which league founder Appleby said has leased 17 of its 22 suites ranging from $35,000 to $55,000.

Ticket sale prices will range from $6 to $25 (with $5 of that $25 cost for concessions). Scouting of the 22 players for each team — who will play two or three games each week — will be getting underway. The baseball season is expected to run May 15 to Sept. 7 with a playoff system to be developed, Appleby said.

When the players — those generally aged 22 to 25 who didn't make the big leagues — are not playing, Appleby said, there will be a "finishing school" with a throwing program and other aspects to make players better -- maybe even good enough to make the big league. He said the salary range for the players will be comparable to other independent professional leagues.

Appleby said there also will programs for players to take college classes; he hopes to place them with local businesses in paid internships, and said they will work on neighboring baseball and softball fields for the school.

Officials have previously said each team will play a 50-game season for a total of 75 games per season.

Appleby said he is talking with other cities west of Ann Arbor and in the Midwest, which he declined to identify, about possibly having stadiums there, expanding the league. Those locales are watching to see how things go in Utica.

Currently, the Utica stadium will have about 20 to 30 full-time staff, with that number probably expected to grow. There will 75 games played at the stadium.

Appleby said he chose Utica for the site of the stadium "mostly for the sense of community." His company gave $1,000 to Utica Community Schools Superintendent's Scholarship Fund, awarded to about 40 graduating seniors, and said there will be free tickets to kids who read 25 books.

He said with its four 50-foot towers at the entrance and second concourse but homey feel inside, the stadium will be "one of the finest ballparks in America when completed."

Contact Christina Hall: chall99@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter: @challreporter.