Then & Now: Baseball lifer Edelstein switches gears in Reno

Editor’s Note: The following story appeared in the May 22 issue of the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal. “Then & Now” is a profile of a past member of the Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 class.

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Eric Edelstein epitomized “baseball lifer” until a few months ago.

Edelstein, 44, started a job in January as assistant city manager for the city of Reno (Nev.). The job change followed Edelstein’s baseball executive career that spanned over 25 years, capped by nearly 10 years (2013-2022) as president of the Reno Aces — the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Triple-A affiliate and last year’s Pacific Coast League champs — and the city’s Greater Nevada Field.

In a recent interview, Edelstein said that other than growing up in Cleveland, he’d lived in Reno longer than any city. His baseball odyssey began in college at Bowling Green State University by volunteering in the front office for the Cleveland Indians. It included front office jobs for Minor League Baseball (MiLB) teams in Jamestown, N.Y., Buffalo, N.Y., Wichita, Kan., and Springdale.

“It’s a really special place here,” he said of Reno. “As I’m talking to you, I’m looking out at snowcapped mountains that will have snow on them through July. You get all the seasons here.”

Edelstein was named GM of the Northwest Arkansas Naturals in November 2006. He was just 30 when he was honored as part of the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 class in 2008, the Naturals’ first season in Springdale after relocating from Wichita.

Well-respected and popular, Edelstein oversaw success on the field and off. The Naturals won two division titles (2009, 2010) and one Texas League title (2010) and hosted the Texas League All-Star Game in 2013.

Edelstein’s efforts to make the Arvest Ballpark experience a high-quality, safe and affordable option for entertainment in Northwest Arkansas did not go unnoticed. The Naturals were the 2012 Texas League Organization of the Year, and in December of that year, Baseball America magazine named the franchise the Double-A Freitas Award winner. It’s an honor given to franchises that show sustained excellence in the business of minor league baseball.

That success caught the attention of the Reno Aces, an organization in need of a makeover and with declining attendance since their inaugural 2009 season.

Edelstein was up to the task. The Aces experienced an attendance rise in 2014 and followed up with several financial successes during the 2015 season. Ballpark Digest, an internet publishing company, named Edelstein Executive of the Year in 2015.

In 2016, Edelstein negotiated the first naming rights agreement for the ballpark with Greater Nevada Credit Union. He also led the land acquisition and development of the area surrounding Greater Nevada Field and led the launch of the United Soccer League’s Reno 1868 Football Club in 2017.

Edelstein also brainstormed two successful initiatives to bring fans to the downtown ballpark during the offseason — an ice rink and a haunted house.

Edelstein needs only to reference his new job to underscore one of his signature accomplishments.

“The way the stadium was constructed left some political hurdles when I arrived,” he explained. “Those relationships were very rocky, and I had to establish that we were going to approach things differently and that we were going to be good community partners.

“I don’t know if there’s a better way to say, ‘I think we fixed those’ than the city hiring me 10 years later.”

Edelstein said he met the city’s job offer “with a lot of soul searching,” but he determined the opportunity too good to pass up. He will support the city manager by directing and coordinating city departments and divisions focused on economic development and revitalization, specifically parks and recreation, business licensing, special events and arts and culture.

“It’s an opportunity to paint on a broader canvas than just the ballpark,” he said. “That was the carrot. It’s maybe not a once-in-a-lifetime job but once in a generation. I ran out of reasons not to take it, and I really love the city.”

Edelstein said he’s been to several Aces games this season, but he’s not sure he can ever be a fan at Greater Nevada Field. He also said he’s not considering whether his baseball career is over.

“If I’m focused on what could be down the road, I’m not going to be good at what I’m doing now,” he said. “That’s always been my approach. I try and be good at what I’m doing today and not focus on what I might do later.”