Cougars Announce Major League Improvements for 25th Anniversary in 2015
The Kane County Cougars, Class-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, have announced the 2015 Cougars Capital Improvement Project to further modernize the Cougars’ home at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark beginning in 2015, the 25th anniversary of the franchise.
On Monday afternoon, the Cougars team concluded the most successful regular season in the 24-year history of the franchise and will open the Midwest League Playoffs Wednesday evening against Wisconsin.
Similar to the Cougars’ parent club Chicago Cubs, the Cougars will embark on a capital improvement project that will add numerous elements to Fifth Third Bank Ballpark to be enjoyed by players, coaches and fans. The Cougars will be constructing a new batting cage built to the Cubs specifications, complete with two hitting tunnels. The climate-controlled cage will also house an expanded Cougars’ weight room and a state-of-the-art video room, allowing convenient access for Cougars and Cubs field staff to develop and evaluate players.
Also for next season, a new, high-definition videoboard will be installed at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark, providing an enhancement of the in-game fan experience with various promotions, game action, video replays and more. The Cougars have announced an agreement with 4Topps Premium Seating to construct a premium seating area on the lower-seating bowl area of the ballpark. This new premium seating area, to be located behind home plate will provide a unique game-day experience, complete with waitress service while offering the ability to cater towards multiple-size groups, including individuals. Finally, the Cougars will construct a permanent music pavilion to be used for game-day events such as the Cougars’ Ballpark Concert Series, as well as nongame-day events.
“We’re extremely excited to announce a series of projects as we look towards our 25th anniversary season in 2015,” Cougars owner Dr. Bob Froehlich said. “These projects will elevate what is already viewed as a premium facility. Our players and coaches, as well as our parent club Chicago Cubs, will enjoy a climate-controlled batting cage, as well as a weight room and video room that will be custom-built exactly to their specifications. We’re confident that these projects will be warmly received by our fans, our players, and the Cubs organization as we look towards Opening Day 2015. This announcement shows that the Cougars organization is committed to the community as well as the Cubs organization.”
“The Forest Preserve could not be more pleased with how quickly the new owners have hit the ground running developing and implementing a capital plan to keep our facility one of the real jewels of the Midwest League, and something for all of Kane County to continue to be proud of,” Forest Preserve District of Kane County President John Hoscheit said.
“This past season, our inaugural Ballpark Concert Series was a huge hit as five Saturday dates featured live music from some of the Chicagoland area’s most popular bands, setting the perfect tone as fans began their evening at a Cougars game,” Cougars owner Cheryl Froehlich said. “Beginning in 2015, our facility will have a permanent music pavilion to use for future concerts, as well as for the community to enjoy during non game-day events.”
“With an exciting off-season planned, we’re pleased to announce that individual ticket and parking prices will not be raised for the 2015 season, showing the organization’s commitment to the community and continuing the tradition of affordable, family-friendly entertainment,” Cougars Vice President/General Manager Curtis Haug said.
Led by Midwest League Manager of the Year Mark Johnson, the Cougars won 91 games during the regular season, which leads both Major League and Minor League baseball and set a franchise record. The Cougars clinched the Western Division first half championship in June with a 45-25 first half record and open the playoffs Wednesday evening at Wisconsin. The team will play their first home playoff game on Thursday evening at 6 p.m. The Cougars, which became the first Class-A Minor League Baseball team to reach their 10 millionth fan in 2013, welcomed more than 400,000 fans to Fifth Third Bank Ballpark this past season.
SOURCE: Kane County Cougars press release by Shawn Touney
Read More
- Kane County Cougars: Cougars Announce 2015 Capital Improvement Projects
- Daily Herald: New video scoreboard, some seating for next season
[…] looking in, it appears the Cougars did everything they could to keep the Cubs in town, including a Capital Improvement Project that will add numerous elements to Fifth Third Bank Ballpark to be enjoyed by players, coaches and […]
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The best news is the prices will ot be changing for the 2015 season. While I agree the ticket prices are reasonable, it is still difficult on a family if they would escalate any higher. Happy to hear of all the upgrades and for creating use on non-game days. A nice traffic plan to get out of the park would be nice, but it certainly beats a major league game traffic. Thanks for creating a fun atmosphere that is family oriented.
Great ideas for the revenue you made this year and your prior reserves. My wife and I, the kids and grandkids have attended for years. I even umpired HS State Tournament ballgames there, BUT you continue to have traffic control problems here since the mid 90’s. Getting in and out on the weekends is bad. The communication between the police, the civilian boys and men who direct, and the autos leaves extremely long-waiting lines. You need a better plan or purchase of another street for egress and ingress. Good prices are fine, but being late for the game, or getting home later than normal is not acceptable.