The Malden Field of Dreams project, once thought dead, could still become a reality.

At the Dec 13. meeting of the City Council, Mayor Gary Christenson announced that the development team behind the project has reached an agreement with Minor League Baseball to explore having an affiliated team play at the proposed stadium near the Malden Center MBTA station.

“The benefits of having an affiliated team rather than an Independent league team, which was the original proposal when this process began, are many, including that there is a player development contract with a Major League team which supplies its prospects, manager and coaches to the team,” Christenson explained. “Unlike Independent league baseball teams, it is not unusual for many of the players on an affiliated minor league team to later play in the major leagues.”

In a Nov. 15 letter, Minor League Baseball President Pat O'Conner granted the development team permission to explore bringing a club to Malden, in response to a request made one day prior by Boston Baseball Field of Dreams founder and CEO Alexander Bok. O'Conner gave Bok until Dec. 15 to submit a written summary of his exploration, but Bok requested additional time this week and was granted an extension through Jan. 31.

O'Conner clarified in his letter that permission to explore does not imply approval of moving a team to Malden, which would need to be approved separately.

In a Dec. 12 letter granting the extension, O'Conner added that he would allow a "one-time statement" to be made at Tuesday's City Council meeting, subject to O'Conner's approval. The agreement prohibits Bok from making public comments to the media about the exploration without written permission from Minor League Baseball, and asks him to request the same of Malden officials.

With the agreement in place from MiLB, the development team still has a lot of work ahead of it. The team must now negotiate with Major League Baseball and its various teams to find a club willing to have a minor league affiliate in Malden. In addition, as was pointed out by Councilor Neil Kinnon during the meeting, MLB retains veto power over the placement of any minor league affiliate within 10 miles of one of its teams. With Fenway Park just a short T ride away from the proposed stadium location, the league would have to sign off on the project for it to proceed.

From there, Bok and his team would have to re-negotiate development and financing deals with all other relevant parties, including the mayor, City Council, the Malden Redevelopment Authority, the state government, banks and other investors, and National Grid, upon whose property the bulk of the stadium would reside. Any prior agreements made with these parties have since expired, as the project has languished for some time.

The last piece of this negotiating puzzle, and the one that could prove to be the most difficult, would be the acquisition of abutting property where several local businesses currently reside. According to Christenson, the developer is willing to purchase the land at current market value plus a premium. It is likely that any purchases would have to be done privately, as several councilors nixed the idea of taking the land via eminent domain.

“I have no intention of voting for eminent domain for these properties,” said Councilor Paul Condon.

Bok is expected to meet with the council on Feb. 7 and, if all goes well, construction would begin this summer for a 2019 opening.

Other aspects of the project seem to be moving ahead more quickly. Christenson explained that Bok selected Turner Sports Construction as the contractor for the stadium. Over the past 10 years, the firm has been responsible for many new major and minor league ballparks, including the new Yankee Stadium, Nationals Park in Washington D.C. and Huntington Park in Columbus, Ohio, home of the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.

Christenson said the stadium, if completed, could be the site for other events, including concerts, movies, graduations and the home field for Malden High School’s varsity baseball team. In addition, it could serve as the new home field for the Boston City Football Club, which currently plays at Malden Catholic’s Brother Gilbert Field. BCFC is a member of the National Premier Soccer League, a FIFA-recognized tier 4 league (Major League Soccer, for comparison, is a tier 1 league).

The idea of a ballpark in Malden arose close to a decade ago as a way to revitalize land that National Grid owns but no longer uses. After hearing nothing on the project for a long time, the council voted this past March to impose a 60-day deadline on Bok and his team to present a new business plan for the site, or else the city would move on.

MRA Executive Director Deborah Burke explained at the time that, despite the potential benefits to the city, and other amenities including a restaurant and convention space, banks were reticent to back a project for a non-affiliated team.

Though that deadline has since come and gone, the critical agreement with MiLB may be just what is needed to revitalize this long-dormant project, which Christenson said would benefit other development efforts in the area.

“The placement of a ballpark, year-round restaurant and related meeting facilities is an optimal way of putting this environmentally-sensitive parcel to use for the community's benefit,” he said. “It would complement and spur the larger economic development that has been occurring in the downtown area and assist with the revitalization of Malden Square.”

Reached for comment, Bok deferred to the mayor's remarks and noted that he cannot say much else about the plans under MiLB rules.

Christenson's full statement to the City Council is below.

"Madame President and members of the Council:

"I am here to provide you with an update on the status of the proposed ballpark. After many months of discussion with Minor League Baseball and nearby affiliated teams, the development team led by Alex Bok has secured the right to explore having an affiliated Minor League Baseball team in Malden.

"The benefits of having an affiliated team rather than an Independent league team, which was the original proposal when this process began are many, including that there is a player development contract with a Major League team which supplies its prospects, manager and coaches to the team. Unlike Independent league baseball teams, it is not unusual for many of the players on an affiliated minor league team to later play in the major leagues.

"This has been a highly-complicated process but thanks to the continued hard work and dedication of our United States Senator Ed Markey and State Representative Paul Donato along with their federal and state colleagues and National Grid, the developer can now begin the process of securing a team. Final approvals and reviews by all parties, including myself, the City Council, the Malden Redevelopment Authority, State government, National Grid, investors, banks, Minor League Baseball and other nearby affiliated teams, will, of course, be based on the specifics of the final project proposal.

"It is critically important to note that the rules and regulations of Minor League Baseball prevent at this time any speculation or discussion about details on what team, league, or affiliation could be in Malden but the fact that the go ahead was given by Minor League Baseball is crucial to the project moving forward. These same rules have kept the developer from discussing its efforts publicly over the past few years.

"While securing the go ahead from Minor League Baseball, the development team has also been working with the Boston City Football Club which is a Division 4 soccer team within the United States soccer system on adapting the design of the ballpark to enable a soccer playing field that meets international FIFA standards. As a result, there is now a substantive agreement that the Club will play its 10-14 home games at the ballpark, primarily on Sunday evenings with occasional exhibition games on another night and that the facility will be used for the Club’s youth training programs.

"Financially, both Eastern Bank and East Boston Savings Bank have indicated to the developer their continued strong interest in funding the proposed ballpark. Private investment in the project, through equity and debt, is estimated to be $60M.

"The project will be union-built. With respect to construction, the developer has selected Turner Sports Construction as its proposed contractor. Turner is the leading sports construction company in the United States and has built many of the leading minor league and major league ballparks over the past ten years, including Nationals Park in Washington DC, Yankee Stadium, and Huntington Park in Columbus, Ohio.

"In addition, now that the development team has formal written permission from Minor League Baseball that it can move forward with exploring an affiliated team in Malden, the developer has advised me that they will work toward the purchase of the abutting property owners parcels at current market value plus a premium. I expect that process, which I helped facilitate several years ago, will resume within a month.

"For those concerned about the feasibility of the ballpark, I have been told that no affiliated minor league team has failed in the last 30 years and there are few better markets for baseball in America than the Greater Boston area. Minor league baseball will not only offer an affordable family entertainment option but will promote Malden to families and businesses throughout the Commonwealth and bring significant economic benefit to our many restaurants and other local businesses. The placement of a ballpark, year-round restaurant and related meeting facilities is an optimal way of putting this environmentally-sensitive parcel to use for the community's benefit. It would complement and spur the larger economic development that has been occurring in the downtown area and assist with the revitalization of Malden Square.

"I would be remiss if I didn’t also emphasize the community building opportunity that the ballpark and minor league baseball will bring to Malden. Not only will a ballpark provide an opportunity for baseball fans young and old to enjoy the national pastime but it will also serve as a recreational center and forge closer ties with Malden neighbors. Minor league baseball teams contribute thousands of dollars back to the community and the ballpark will be a site for other events including concerts, movies, graduations, and serve as the future home of the Malden High School Golden Tornadoes Varsity Baseball Team.

"Finally, I know you have numerous questions and the developer has committed to presenting additional details and the remaining open issues to the City Council on Tuesday, February 7th. Once the open items are resolved, the developer’s timeline would be to break ground this summer and open for baseball in 2019.

"Thank you. I will now take any questions you may have. Please understand, my answers must be constrained by the rules and guidelines as set forth by Minor League Baseball so as not to endanger the proposed project."