Westchester County does not have a minor league baseball team, although a proposal to build a stadium and field a team has long been floated by the City of Yonkers. That plan is now moving forward as part of a huge shopping, commercial and entertainment development planned for the city’s downtown.
The $1.6 billion complex, to be built by Struever Fidelco Cappelli, would be called SFC River Park Center and would include a 6,500-seat stadium, costing $45 million, built on the roof of a 10-story building. David Simpson, a Yonkers spokesman, described the stadium as “essentially a green roof.”
The Yonkers Planning Board recently approved the project, and it is now up for final approval by the City Council, with a vote possible by the end of this month. If the complex is approved, the expected completion date for the stadium would be 2012.
Mr. Simpson said the team hopes to attract “regular people” who have been priced out of Yankee Stadium and CitiField.
He said the stadium would be big enough and have enough fencing to keep even towering home runs from flying out of the park and dropping to the street far below.
City officials said that they had secured a commitment from Mary Jane Foster and Jack McGregor, former owners of another minor league team, the Bridgeport Bluefish, to back a Yonkers team, and from officials of the independent Atlantic League, who they said promised the team a slot. Specifics, including a name, have yet to be worked out.
“We want to get the stadium built — then worry about the team,” Mr. Simpson said.