West Chester, Pa. Considers Building A Baseball Stadium

It's an idea that surfaces every couple of years around here: bring in a minor-league baseball team to improve the local economy.

KYW's David Madden reports that this time, West Chester is flirting with the idea.
Camden has the River Sharks (photo above).  Wilmington has the Blue Rocks. And the Phillies have minor league franchises in Reading and Allentown.

Now, a group of Chester County investors led by former major league player and administrator Howie Bedell are pushing to purchase a now-closed Wyeth Labs site on the south side of West Chester to build a 4,000- to 5,000-seat stadium.

And if they build it, Bedell says, a team will come:
"I have a number of franchises that would see fit to place a club or franchise there, and to that end we've made tremendous progress over the last eight weeks."
He sat down with the Phillies and says they made no firm commitment, despite reports to the contrary.

A stadium would cost $40 million, and nothing's set in stone.  But Bedell is confident they'll be playing ball in West Chester in 2½ years.

(File photo)