Leland taking steps to study economic impact of potential baseball stadium

LELAND, N.C. (WECT) - The Town of Leland could be one step closer to bringing its own minor league baseball team to town.

The Leland Town Council unanimously approved the use of $30,000 Monday to fund a feasibility study into the entertainment development that was announced earlier this month. The study will be conducted over the next two to three months by the Milwaukee-based company Baker Tilly US.

“Nothing’s been finalized, and that’s part of this process, to see what revenue is going to be generated and to see essentially if it’s going to generate enough revenue to be able to pay for itself,” said Leland Town Manager David Hollis.

The town announced its partnership with Brunswick County and REV Entertainment for a “world-class development concept with sports and entertainment as the anchor,” according to a Feb. 1 news release.

REV Entertainment and the Texas Rangers Major League Baseball organization proposed a smaller version of the team’s Arlington, Texas stadium for a minor league team in Leland. It would go on a 1,400-acre plot of land along Hwy. 17 next to the Brunswick Forest. REV could invest as much as $100 million for entertainment, restaurants and hotels adjacent to the stadium.

“Any type of development like this adds a lot of value to the county, to the town, so there will be revenues generated through tax dollars, fees, other things, so we’re trying to find out that information,” Hollis said.

The study will be available to the public once it is completed. It will be presented for consideration to the Leland Town Council and the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners.

A timeline showed the conceptual design for the development completed in April or May, with a groundbreaking in the spring of 2024. The stadium could host an opening day in 2026.

For now, Leland officials say they’re in no rush while they ensure it’s a good investment for the community.

“We’re going through the right process,” Hollis said. “We’re taking our time, we’re looking at it, we’re not rubber stamping anything.”

The Town of Leland announced it will also host a public forum to discuss planning and development at 6 p.m. on March 7 at the Leland Town Hall. Anyone is welcome to attend and learn more about development going on in the Leland community.

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