Concerns rise over cost, completion of expansion at Four Winds Field

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - There are some cost concerns regarding plans to expand South Bend’s minor league baseball stadium.

Some key parts of the project are set to be rebid in October. Earlier bids came back significantly higher than estimated.

“Our hope is it will be in budget, and we’ll build everything that we generally agreed on building,” South Bend Public Works Director Eric Horvath told WNDU 16 News Now. “If we can’t come within the $45 million, we have to sit down and figure out if there’s something that can come out.”

While it was originally hoped that adding an upper deck of seating to the stadium could be done in one year, Horvath says that’s no longer believed to be possible.

“There’s no way to get it done in one season. There’s just too much lead time with some of the material,” Horvath said. “When you look at some of the electrical equipment, some of the steel, we just couldn’t manage to get it done in one season, pushing it too hard.  We ended up wanting to make sure we get it done right and we weren’t going to run into the issue where the season is starting, and the stadium couldn’t open. That’s just a nonstarter for us. They’ve got games playing, we’ve got to be open.”

“Offseason one, offseason one, really the main thing is they’re going to rip the roof off, start building the upper structure for that,” said South Bend Cubs President Joe Hart. “We’re replacing a bunch of seats in the seating bowl that are older. The fun zone Is going to be relocated. The splash pad is going to be relocated. So, those are the main projects for this first offseason.”

Despite finishing in last place in the west division of the Midwest League, the Cubs managed to draw more than 300,000 spectators to Four Winds Field this season.