FORT MYERS, Fla. — One last weekend series remains on the books for the FSW baseball team which means this weekend could be the last time any baseball team walks off the field at the City of Palms Park in Fort Myers.
“It’s kind of melancholy walking away from this but knowing we’re going to be in a new place,” said Bucs head baseball coach Ben Bizier.
Since FSW brought baseball and softball back seven years ago, the park has been home to both programs.
The Bucs baseball team has won three straight conference titles while the softball team won a national championship last season.
“We’ve just been so fortunate to be here,” said Bizier.
“We love this place. We love the clubhouse and everything that’s attached to it.”
The time has officially come, however, to bid the old ballpark farewell as far as the Bucs are concerned.
As the City of Fort Myers has around four months to decide if it wants to demolish the park on the county’s dime, the Bucs were left wondering where their future games would be played.
As it turns out, FSW administrators decided playing on-campus would be the best solution.
So far, the school has set aside $3.5 million to begin construction on a state of the art softball and baseball complex.
“The end result will be very grand,” said FSW Athletic Director George Sanders.
“What we might start with, it may look kind of plain next year with just fields, dugouts and some temporary seating.”
The school is currently in the seventh year of a ten year lease with the city to play at City of Palms.
However, because of the stadium’s uncertain future the Bucs decided to stop there.
“The opportunity to be there and play has been wonderful but it’s just the not knowing of what we might have to do or when we might have to do it,” said Sanders.
And for the coaches and players, moving back to campus was a home run move.
“Having the facilities along with all the additional resources the school puts into athletics is huge for us,” said Bizier.
Those new facilities are expected to be ready to open for the Bucs 2023 baseball and softball seasons starting in January.
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