Cleveland City Hall wants to put a new manager in the dugout at League Park.
Currently, the city runs the historic ballfield in the Hough neighborhood, which includes a concession stand and visitor center. In July, city leaders issued a call for companies interested in operating, maintaining and marketing the complex.
City Hall wants year-round programming, an active concession stand and more access for residents and Cleveland students.
The mayor’s office called League Park “one of the most historic sites in the city” in a statement to Weekly Chatter. The city is trying to “gauge interest from the market” and is now reviewing proposals.
“We want to ensure that legacy is not only preserved, but built up to make it an even more special place than it already is,” the statement read. “We’re looking for responses that will increase the facility’s vibrancy, accessibility, and activation for not just visitors, but neighborhood residents and the community as a whole.”
City Hall wants more “synergy” with other nearby facilities, such as Fatima Family Center, Cleveland Public Library and the Cleveland Foundation, according to the request for proposals. The park would remain public property.
Council Member Stephanie Howse-Jones, who represents the area, said the park had been “thoroughly underutilized” despite being an asset in the neighborhood and beyond. Right now, the city doesn’t have the capacity to run the park itself, she said.
“The community is deserving of having fully functioning, thriving operations at League Park,” she said.
Built in 1891, League Park served as the home of the Cleveland Spiders and later the Indians. The Negro American League’s Cleveland Buckeyes also played there. The city renovated the property in 2014.
