Springdale Could Land Minor League Baseball Team

You’ve probably heard about Springdale’s ongoing efforts to attract a minor league baseball team. You may have even heard the AA Texas league team the Wichita Wranglers bandied about as a probable homerun.

But we hear that if Springdale builds it, they will come.

Several tapped-in Springdalians, who aren’t willing to go on the record as yet, have said that talks with the Wranglers are to the point of commitment — provided the team has a brand spanking new diamond-shaped venue to call home.

Eric Edelstein, general manager for the Wranglers, wouldn’t confirm or deny the team is looking to move but did say attendance at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium is up and that the team has a lease there through the 2008 season.

The Wranglers are affiliated with the Kansas City Royals, a team owned by Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s former CEO David Glass. The owners of the Wranglers, the Rich family of Buffalo, N.Y., also operate Rich Products Corp., a food product vendor to Wal-Mart.

The Springdale City Council will probably vote in July on whether or not to extend its 1 percent street improvement sales tax, which will be the likeliest way for Springdale to cough up an estimated $25 million for a facility.