EVERETT — Now is the time for Everett residents to share their thoughts on a potential new AquaSox baseball stadium.
In November, the City Council authorized spending over $800,000 on environmental impact studies for an upgraded or new baseball stadium. Residents are invited to comment on the scope of the studies, stadium site options, mitigation, environmental impact or any other related topics.
Two options are on the table for the future of baseball in Everett:
• The old stadium would be demolished and rebuilt in the same location; or
• A new stadium would be built downtown, just east of Angel of the Winds Arena.
During the studies, these two options will be compared keeping the current field as is.
The state-mandated environmental impact studies are set to begin early this year, and projected to take about nine months. The goal is to select a site this summer, a contractor said at a council meeting in late 2023.
The deadline to submit comment on the stadium project is Feb. 20.
Comments can be submitted online, via mail or at a virtual meeting Feb. 13.
The city is also accepting applicants for a stadium fiscal committee through Friday. Members of the committee are expected to offer financial advice to the mayor and council, while keeping residents informed through the duration of the project. Applicants will be judged based on their experience in finance, tourism, accounting, public policy, and related fields. Applications can be submitted on the city’s website.
In 2020, Major League Baseball updated the requirements for minor league stadiums, so Funko Field in Everett needs significant upgrades to meet these standards. The AquaSox are already being fined by the MLB for every season these standards aren’t met. If changes aren’t made soon, Everett could lose the team.
Funko Field is owned by Everett Public Schools and doubles as a venue for high school sports. In 2021, the AquaSox were elevated to a High-A team, lengthening the season. This has resulted in scheduling conflicts with the school.
In September 2021, these tensions led the council to approve studies looking into a revamped baseball stadium.
An upgraded stadium could be ready for the 2026 AquaSox season, if all goes to plan. The stadium is expected to have 2,800 to 3,200 seats and serve as a venue for events beyond minor league baseball.
Contractors say the an upgraded stadium could cost between $40 and $80 million.
How to comment:
• Website: everettwa.gov/3163/City-of-Everettoutdoor-multipurpose-Fac
• By mail:
Yorik Stevens-Wajda, AICP
Planning Director
City of Everett Planning Dept.
2930 Wetmore Ave., Ste 8A
Everett, WA 98201
• Email: ystevens@everettwa.gov
• At the virtual public meeting, 6 p.m. Feb. 13.
Ashley Nash: 425-339-3037; ashley.nash@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @ash_nash00.
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