Supply chain shortages and the Migratory Bird Act are being cited as reasons for a delay to the opening of a new ballpark west of Edmonton.
The Edmonton Prospects announced Wednesday morning that the new Metro Ballpark in Spruce Grove will not open until May 2023.
The baseball team had originally hoped the park would open next summer, in time for the 2022 season.
“We have now had to reassess our schedules and through that process, have come to the realization that opening in 2022 is just not possible,” said Patrick Cassidy, managing partner for Gold Sports and Entertainment Group Corp., the company that operates the baseball team and will manage the facility.
The Prospects announced plans to relocate to the new facility in Spruce Grove in May 2020, after a group led by former Edmonton Oiler Randy Gregg was awarded a 10-year lease to operate RE/MAX Field. in Edmonton’s river valley.
Cassidy said Wednesday that the new targeted opening date for the ballpark is May 27, 2023.
“Losing two and a half months this past summer due to matters relating to the Migratory Bird Act combined with supply chain shortages due to COVID-19 make it virtually impossible to complete a project of this size and scope in the next seven months,” Cassidy said in a news release.
“While discouraging in one respect, it is also exciting to know that we now have an opening date.”
For the 2022 season, the team said it will play most of its games at Centennial Field in Sherwood Park.
Other games will be played in Sylvan Lake, Okotoks and Lethbridge. A two-game set will also take place in Kindersley, Sask., during the third week of June.
“In the next week to 10 days we will be promoting ticket sales for both the 2022 and 2023 seasons, as we have quite a waiting list for season tickets for the new ballpark,” Cassidy said.
“In addition, our suite sales have been very robust and to be honest, we do not have that many suites available for 2023 in the new ballpark.
“The response to this facility has been just incredible which only makes the wait that much more difficult to deal with. We are all anxious to get it open.”
The 2022 schedule is now available on the team’s website.