Pittsfield Signs Negotiating Rights Agreement With Suns Baseball Team
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Suns will call Wahconah Park home again.
On Tuesday, the Parks Commission accepted a negotiating rights agreement between the city and longtime summer collegiate baseball team, the Pittsfield Suns. It solidifies that the two will work together when the historic ballpark is renovated.
It remains in effect until the end of 2027, or when a license or lease agreement is signed. Terms will be automatically extended to the end of 2028 if it appears the facility won't be complete by then.
"It certainly looks like it lays out kind of both what the Suns and Pittsfield would like to see over the next year or so during this construction plan, to be able to work together and work exclusively with each other in this time," Commissioner Anthony DeMartino said.
Owner Jeff Goldklang, joining virtually, said he shared those thoughts, and the team looks forward to starting negotiations. After this approval, it will need a signature from Mayor Peter Marchetti and the baseball team.
The negotiating rights agreement recognizes the long-standing relationship between Pittsfield and the team dating back to 2012, and the Suns' ownership group's historical ties to Wahconah Park and the city dating to the 1980s. The team skipped the 2024 and 2025 seasons after the historic grandstand was deemed unsafe in 2022.
The Suns were granted the exclusive right to negotiate in good faith with the city for a license or lease agreement where the Suns will be the primary tenant. During the terms of the agreement, the city can't negotiate or enter into an agreement with another party for leniency, licensing, or operation of Wahconah Park for professional or collegiate summer baseball.
"The Parties acknowledge the historic and cultural importance of Wahconah park to the residents of Berkshire County and share a mutual goal of providing community access, engagement, and programming on a broad and inclusive scale," it reads.
The agreement also stipulates that the Suns won't seek another party for tenancy, licensing, or operation of a facility. It establishes only the exclusive negotiating rights and is not a binding lease, license, or occupancy agreement.
That same day, the Community Development Board OKed the site plan for a temporary ice skating rink in front of Wahconah Park and the demolition of the grandstand.
Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath said this is a real milestone. The demolition will go out to bid in the late winter or early spring.
"The idea is that we will demo the building and make the site safe and secure so that we can utilize the site until which time we begin construction on a new grandstand," he said.
"So that may come right on the heels, it may take a little while to get us going, but either way, the intent is that we'll be playing baseball on that field in 2026 and that we will have folks secure and safe behind the backstop home plate area."
James Scalise of SK Design explained to the Community Development Board that there are no new buildings proposed at this point, "It's simply a demolition project."
He explained that the grandstand will be demolished and sheds set out of the way for a redevelopment area, and the project will create a lot of flood storage. Flooding of the parking lot has been a timeless concern for the park.
The temporary 50-by-100-foot ice rink was originally proposed for Clapp Park, but when the project was put out to bid, the system came back $75,000 higher than the estimate, and the cost for temporary utilities was also over budget.
In September, the City Council accepted a total of $200,000 from five local organizations for the project, and the city has already been working on power supply needs for Wahconah Park, which are far less expensive.
Board member Libby Herland commented that there have been a lot of people on social media wondering when the rink will be installed. The city hopes to get it up and running this winter.
Tags: Pittsfield Suns, Wahconah Park,
