Lafayette Planning For New Stadium

(photo courtesy of the city of Lafayette)

A longstanding ballpark in Lafayette could be replaced. The Lafayette Journal & Courier reports the city has plans to demolish the 80-year-old Loeb Stadium and build a new facility in the same location.

The architecture firm that designed Kokomo’s Municipal Stadium, Indianapolis-based American Structurepoint Inc., has signed an initial agreement with the city to design the new Lafayette facility, according to the publication. Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski and members of Lafayette Board of Parks and Recreation have traveled to Kokomo to inspect the stadium, which opened last year.

Roswarski tells the Journal & Courier he doesn’t expect to seek permission for a special tax to pay for the new stadium, which he expects to cost less than Municipal Stadium. "Realistically, you’re probably in that $10 million range," he told the publication. "We’ll be able to do it within our normal city budget."

Demolition would not begin until after the 2017 Colt World Series. The publication says the stadium is expected to be complete by 2019.