Jun. 2—"Momentum."

Among Marysville city officials and several small business owners, this is the one word they will consistently use to express the direction the city is headed.

Attempting to beat back the perception of "doing nothing," city officials have been incredibly active for the last couple years to revitalize a uniquely historic town in California that is ripe for new development and a new vision. Knowing that nothing happens overnight, city leaders have been active both publicly and behind the scenes to not only encourage current property owners to take action, but also bring in new developments and revitalize well-known landmarks such as Bryant Field.

The ballpark, officials have said, is not only a key part of the city's plan to bring in more visitors, but it's also an example of the future of Marysville itself. Already, the Marysville City Council earlier this year approved a disposition and development agreement with Engstrom Properties, Inc. and Presidio Companies, LLC to develop the B Street property directly across the street from Bryant Field.

That agreement is key because it is expected to lead to the development of a new hotel, banquet hall, restaurant and grocery store. All of which will benefit from the continued use of Bryant Field — which in most recent years was solely used for just baseball. Now, city leaders have grander plans.

To assist with the revitalization of Bryant Field, Highlands Community Charter School has stepped in as a title sponsor. With a location already in Marysville, Highlands Executive Director Murdock Smith said the sponsorship was a perfect opportunity to inform the community about what the school offers.

"We're a fast growing school. About 70% of our students now are immigrants and refugees. We're one of the biggest schools in the state, as far as charter schools," Smith said. "... When I thought of the idea of a sponsorship ... (it was) to commit to Marysville and the campus. ... The sponsorship allowed the charter school to have a significant footprint in the area."

The sponsorship has not only provided funding for the improvement of the stadium, but also included work by Highlands to help fix the field for the Marysville Drakes — the city's newest professional baseball team that just started its first season.

"We painted the place. Helped with the fence. We've done some electrical stuff. Helped with the ticket process," Smith said. "The field was completely unplayable. We spent a lot of time mowing, regrading, and building the pitcher's mound."

The sponsorship also is an opportunity for Highlands to use Bryant Field for educational purposes. Something both Smith and city officials said was a "win-win" situation for everyone involved.

"We're going to negotiate it (the deal), but we're going to use it (Bryant Field) for several different fields. We can bring in students from other campuses in the region to Bryant Field," Smith said. "The city council, Dan Flores, the county supervisors, even in Sutter County, they've been wonderful. Early childhood education, electricians, and helping jurisdictions certify for certain government positions. It's a win-win, a direct pathway for our students to get jobs."

The city's perspective

To find out just what the city has in mind for Bryant Field, the Appeal reached out to Flores, Marysville's community development director. Along with a great place to play ball, the city very much intends to use the field for multiple purposes, hoping to keep it active for more than just a few months out of the year.

Q: What are the details of the Highlands sponsorship for Bryant Field?

A: At this point Highlands Community Charter School provided $25,000 dollars for sponsorship of the Drakes. $12,500 went directly to the Drakes and $12,500 went to the city for Bryant Field. This sponsorship includes advertising, banners, six season tickets and announcements during the games. The sponsorship is for one year.

Q: Are there any other sponsors that gave large amounts similar to Highlands?

A: There are no other major sponsors at this point. Several companies have sponsored the Drakes for $1,500, which includes a banner on the field.

Q: What does the city plan to do with Bryant Field moving forward?

A: We have several concerts and events planned for the rest of the year including a concert series called the Silver Dollar Concert Series. This series will consist of four concerts, one each month from July through October with a mix of rock and country bands.

The Marysville Mariachi Festival will be held at Bryant Field on September 9th; the Sutter Buttes Social Club is holding their annual Brew Festival on September 30th; the Yuba-Sutter Chamber of Commerce is holding its annual Taste of Yuba Sutter event on October 12: and an October Festival is planned for October 14th.

There is another adult baseball league that will be playing on the field on Sundays when the Drakes are not on the field. We are working with the little league for some games to be scheduled at the field next season as well as an "All Area High School Tournament."

There is a great deal of excitement from multiple organizations regarding the possible utilization of the field and we fully expect to double the number of additional events at Bryant Field by next year.

Q: How does Bryant Field fit in with the city's present and future goals for renewed development?

A: Having an active baseball team in the city at a baseball park that is the pride of the Yuba-Sutter region adds to the positive economic momentum that is going on in Marysville. There will be hundreds if not thousands of players and other visitors combined over the next few months and years from major cities throughout California who have never been to Marysville before. This is our chance to demonstrate that we can not only provide quality baseball in an impressive baseball park, but it will also allow us to greet these visitors, demonstrate the local charm of our small walkable urban village.

It is highly probable that some of these visitors will be interested in staying in Marysville or possibly even developing in Marysville. If visitors are interested, the city will be here to assist them every step of the way. Not only are we ready to continue the long tradition of successful baseball in Marysville, but we are also open and ready for business to join in our momentum.

Q: What challenges does Bryant Field pose for the city?

A: Further improvements and ongoing maintenance will need to be addressed by a combination of the city, tenants, and contributors. Once the city-owned B Street property across B Street is developed with the new hotel, grocery store and restaurant, parking solutions will need to be determined.

The Drakes are responsible for all maintenance, improvements, parking, security, and utilities at Bryant Field during the term of their use agreement.