Bandits officially claim Elgin as their new home
The snow may have been swirling outside but the talk of professional softball was hot and heavy in Elgin Saturday.
The Chicago Bandits officially opened their corporate office and retail store at 72 S. Grove, on the south end of downtown, and the turnout of locals was brisk.
The Bandits, who have been playing their games at Benedictine University in Lisle, will play the next three seasons at Judson University, with the expectation of a stadium to be built by the city of Elgin on the property of the former Spartan Meadows Golf Course. Bandits officials are confident Judson's facility will be ready to go despite the lateness of winter and the amount of snow still on the ground.
"I was down there last night and it looks fine," said Bandits vice president Bill Sokolis. "We should get going on things the last week of March and then we have two full months. There's really not a lot that's going to take a lot of time other than digging the bleachers in on the first-base side.
The city of Elgin has committed $350,000 to Judson to upgrade the softball facility. Improvements will include a new infield, 2,000 seats worth of bleachers, a scoreboard and a press box, and new dugouts. Sokolis, who owns a construction company, had said he was going to build the dugouts off site and have them brought in with a crane but he's now decided to build them on site.
Replacing the infield, he said, is only a 3-4 day project and he's in the process of contacting the company that recently redid Northwestern's field to do the job.
The original intent to move back the center field fence, Sokolis said, will be put on hold until 2009.
"The lights are really close to being perfect right now," he said. "But we'll wait until next year to extend the fence."
Sokolis also said Saturday the team has purchased air time from WRMN-AM radio in Elgin to broadcast all 28 home games live. Jeff Meyers and Kyle Bault will be the team's radio announcers.
"This is the first time we have been made to feel comfy enough to partner up with a radio station," Sokolis said. "WRMN has assured us it's a step in the right direction and we're excited about the partnership and the opportunity it will bring.
"I like Jeff Meyers and I think his presence is good. He and Kyle will be the voice of the Bandits."
Bandits owner Bill Conroy said Saturday he's scheduled a Meet the Bandits day at On the Cue on Elgin's far west side for Memorial Day from 2-5 p.m.
The Bandits, who play in the six-team National Pro Fastpitch league, open the season May 29 at Rockford. The home season will begin Friday, June 6 with the first in a four-game series against Akron.