GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The grandstands at historic Sullivan Field will be refurbished.
Fans of Valley Field (FVF) made the announcement Wednesday, saying the 1937 will be preserved after construction stalled in spring. They say wood rot was discovered to have caused “significant structural issues,” prompting the delay.
We’re told FVF met with the city of Grand Rapids and construction experts over the last three months to review logistics on the grandstands’ restoration. They learned restoration will cost more than previously thought but not as much as building a new structure from scratch.
To address the increased price tag, FVF says they will announce a new fundraising goal by the end of August. The goal was previously set at $4.25 million.
Restoration is expected to begin this fall after the site plan has been updated.
Opening in 1937, Sullivan Field, formerly known as Valley Field, hosted amateur championship teams and more than 70 major league players.
The project to restore the historic baseball diamond is backed by major donors such as Meijer, Mercantile Bank, Bissell, the Langlois Family Foundation, the Frey Foundation and the Brown Tassell Foundation.
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