It's got the support of the mayor and commission, so a new stadium could become a reality for Augusta. But the city won't be able to hit a
home run, until the state agrees to play ball.

A brand new baseball stadium for Augusta that would also house offices, condos, restaurants, shops and other entertainment options overlooking the Savannah River.

It sounds promising. But, the million dollar question, actually, the $31 million question is, who foots the bill?

Augusta Mayor Deke Copenhaver said, "I would prefer to do this at the very smallest cost to taxpayers. Revenue bonds would be one option."

Private financing is another. But, before anything can be built, ownership of the 17 acre Botanical Gardens property, must be transferred from the state to the city of Augusta.

Mayor Deke Copenhaver says the stadium/entertainment complex would have the potential to host events 250 days each year drawing 350 thousand people into downtown increasing the city's tax revenue.

He points to successful ventures like the one in Greenville, where the city donated the land for a new baseball stadium that was mostly built with private money.

Mike DeMaine, the General Manager of the Greenville Drive, said, "It's been very successful. If you look at the restaurants and bars and the buzz here on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights."

DeMaine says Greenville's $25 million ballpark was part of a decade long project to revitalize and re-energize the city's downtown area.

Augusta leaders say this is more than just building a baseball stadium.
Instead, they say, it's something that should have been done for decades. And, that is fully developing Augusta's Riverfront."

"We need projects generating traffic on our river front. The proposal we're looking at right now, the way we've designed it, to make a restaurant part of the facility overlooking the river," said Copenhaver.

The theme is clear. Augusta is saying, "build it, and they will come!"

Mayor Copenhaver admitted, even if the state donates the property soon, the stadium and entertainment center may not be finished until 2011.

That's because funding the project will likely be a slow and challenging process.