New Palmetto Baseball Fields to Host Inaugural Game Tuesday

MANATEE COUNTY – The Palmetto Little League’s final game of the season on Tuesday, May 27 will feature two North Manatee Little League teams playing the first-ever game on Manatee County’s sparkling new Blackstone Baseball Fields. A special dedication ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m., 30 minutes before first pitch.

Manatee County Commissioners took on the $3.4 million project in 2012 and fast-tracked work to minimize the time little leaguers had without dedicated fields. Manatee County Property Management oversaw the project which was designed by Stantec and constructed by Mulligan Contractors, Himes Electric and Professional Service Industries.

During the May 27 ceremony, Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker will recognize key contributors to the project, including the City of Palmetto and Pittsburgh Pirates Charities. The City of Palmetto contributed $800,000; Pirates Charities donated a $75,000 grant. The inaugural game features Palmetto Little League’s Snead Island Boatworks taking on Aldrich Flooring from Buffalo Creek Little League.

“The children of Palmetto have waited a long time for these fields, but I think once they see them and play on them, they’ll decide these professional caliber fields were worth the wait,” Hunsicker said. “They’ve gone from having no fields at all to having the nicest Little League fields in all of Manatee County.”

Hunsicker gave special credit to Property Management Director Charlie Bishop, Project Manager Tom Yarger, Recreation Supervisor Marcus Francis and Parks Operations Manager Carmine Demillio, who have all worked long hours to ensure the fields are ready in time for the season-ending game.

The new Blackstone Fields include:

• Three lighted little league baseball fields with covered dugouts and bleachers;

• A concession/restroom/press box facility, security lighting at the concession, along the walks to the parking lot and in the parking lot;

• Batting cages;

• Landscaping and irrigation, a stormwater control system and a paved parking lot, including a lighted decorative entrance sign;

• A 50-foot flag pole is also installed at the concession facility.