Replica Wrigley Field provided the back drop for the celebrity game. Smedes photo.

REDDING, CA - Saturday, July 31st marked the opening ceremonies for the newest Big League Dreams complex in Northern California. SWM was invited to the festivities to watch the dedication ceremony, celebrity softball game and the open house, with tours of the whole facility.

As reported in SWM in May, the $18 million Redding complex was completed this past June. As with other Big League Dream stadiums, the highlight of the project is the three replicated softball fields including Yankee Stadium, Wrigley Field and Fenway Park, as well as one non-replica softball field. It encompasses a combination softball/hardball field, a field house that will allow roller hockey, soccer and basketball indoors, a concession stand, an eight station batting cage, a four court sand volleyball area, a restaurant and bar, parking and a play structure. A space is reserved for a sixth softball field and four soccer fields when funding becomes available. The difference with this park is the adoption of synthetic turf on the ball fields. Big League Dreams proposed the switch because the maintenance cost savings could be used to help fund the installations. Synthetic turf will minimize rainouts and add two to three more months of playing time during the year in a community that receives over 40 inches of rain each year.

Wally Joyner, the major leaguer from the California Angels was overheard saying, "These are better fields than we played on. I know for a fact this Yankee field is better than the real one."

The Hollywood All-Star team beat the Legends in a 20-15 victory. The Hollywood team comprised of Michael Bergin, star of Baywatch, Kevin Rahm, star of Judging Amy, Rodney Scott, star of American Dreams, Chris Upland, star of West Wing, Gilby Clarke, guitar player for Guns-n-Roses, Dizzy Reed, keyboard player for Guns-n-Roses and Jonathan Silverman, star of Weekend at Bernie’s. Other well-known faces that made up the Legends team included Maury Wills, who was voted Most Exciting Player in Dodger Stadium history, all-stars Wally Joyner, from the California Angels, Bill Russell, from the Los Angeles Dodgers, John "Blue Moon" Odom, from the Oakland Athletics, Darrell Evans from the San Francisco Giants also graced the field. Other major leaguers were Darrell Miller, Kevin Flora, Jay Johnstone, Greg Dadarat and Mark Parent.

Big League Dreams is a privately owned company that operates recreation facilities as a concessionaire. The Redding facility is a public-private partnership, where the City of Redding built and owns the facilities, while the Big League Dreams organization will operate and maintain the facility through a lease. Redding is expected to make approximately $234,000 each year on the lease payments from Big League dreams, which over the 35-year lease will total $9.4 million. During the same time period, Redding is expected to save $30 million in maintenance costs, a bill Big League Dreams will assume. It is expected that food and beverage sales, team fees, player fees, retail sales, sponsorships and advertising will cover all costs.

The Big League Dreams Kick Off Classic was held on August 28-29. League registration has also begun but currently no other tournaments are scheduled until November. For more information on softball opportunities, go to www.bigleaguedreams.com or call 503-223-1177.