$12m field renovations to benefit NM community

Contractors began a $12 million renovation on the Lobo baseball field last week.

The project’s first phase is estimated to cost between $2.3 million and $3.6 million, and includes new dugouts, bleachers, scoreboard and a renovation to the outfield wall.

Officials said they’re unsure how many phases the project will contain, but the school has proposed a total renovation that would cost about $12 million.

Vice President of Athletics Paul Krebs said after phase one, the other renovations will depend on how much money can be brought in.
“There is a series of plans and initiatives — we have and future phases will be dependent on our ability to raise money,” he said.

In 2010, the New Mexico Legislature gave $2 million to the renovation and UNM has also received money for the field renovation through donations.

After the success of the renovation of The Pit, Krebs said he expects more people to start donating money to the similar project.

“There are a lot of people that want to get behind this project,” he said. “It’s our job to figure out how to raise the necessary monies to ultimately to build this field into its totality.”

UNM usually plays at Isotopes Park, but when the Isotopes have a game scheduled for the same time, the UNM game is played on Lobo Field. With the renovations, UNM would play all home games at Lobo Field.

Head baseball coach Ray Birmingham said the new field will be something the team can take pride in, and will help recruit new players.

“It (Lobo Field) will do a lot for recruiting,” he said. “There are a lot of things that need to be fixed in this program, and the facilities are definitely one of them.”

The field will not be used just for UNM games, but also for local high school teams.

Krebs said it’s important for this field to be available to the community as well as Lobo baseball.

“Our goal, long term, is to build a facility that is a testament to not only Lobo baseball but a facility that is accessible to Albuquerque Public Schools and the New Mexico Activities Association,” he said. “It really advocates and creates for all of baseball in the state.”