A recent renovation of McKechnie Field was just the beginning of improvements for Bradenton's major baseball venues. The Pittsburgh Pirates have announced plans for a new clubhouse at the downtown stadium and a new strength training at Pirate City in east Bradenton.

"Our Major League and Minor League players deserve first-class facilities," said Frank Coonelly, president of the Pirates, "and the new home clubhouse at McKechnie Field and performance center at Pirate City will be among the best in the industry."

Bradenton Mayor Wayne Poston said he was especially excited that cost of construction for the projects, roughly $6.5 million, is being fully funded by the Pirates organization. "We're obviously very excited about it," Poston said. "We've always had a good working relationship with the team."

NDC Construction and Fawley Bryant Architects were hired by the Pirates to design and build the projects. A plan for the facilities was approved by the Bradenton City Council last week.

The new clubhouse will be 22,500 square feet and include a locker room, strength and conditioning room, athletic training room, hydrotherapy, equipment room, 65 lockers, kitchen/dining hall, coaches conference room and media/press conference space, according to Fawley Bryant. The 12,240-square-foot Strength and Conditioning facility in Pirate City will stand two stories and include weight training and fitness facilities to support year-round performance and rehabilitation programs in Bradenton, the Pirates said. Fawley Bryant said plans for the building include a coaches office, conference room, private office, storage room, server room, restrooms and an open exercise area for equipment and group fitness programs.

The projects are slated to be completed by early 2015, according to the Pirates, before the start of the next spring training season.

The decision to build comes on the heels of a spring training season with record average attendance and single game attendance. An average 7,587 people attended games at McKechnie Field during the 2014 Grapefruit League season, compared with 6,229 in the 2013 season. A March 22 game against the Philadelphia Phillies, which trains in Clearwater, drew a record 8,566 fans. McKechnie Field will also host the Florida State League All-Star Game on June 14 this year. The Pirates have trained at McKechnie Field since 1969.

It also comes after a renovation of the stadium last year funded by tourist development tax revenue. Ballpark Digest named the renovation to Best Ballpark Renovation (Over $1 million) in 2013. That renovation, also done by NDC and Fawley Bryant, cost roughly $10 million. 

Sandra Ford, the Manatee County School District’s Director of Food and Nutrition, was awarded a 2014 Silver Plate at the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association’s 60th Annual Gold and Silver Plate Awards. Called the Academy Awards of Foodservice, the IFMA instituted the Gold and Silver Plate Awards in 1954 to pay tribute to the food industry’s most outstanding and innovative talents in foodservice operations. 

Postscript

Manatee County School District

All Faiths Food Bank’s Campaign Against Summer Hunger surpassed all expectations to raise an unprecedented $1.1 million in funds and 766,253 pounds of food to feed children and families this summer. The Campaign began on April 1 and culminated on May 10. 

All Faiths Food Bank