Business World |
May 2015
14
much like getting the fans to appreciate and
pay attention, Bragan Jr. had to fight in order
to make things happen. After Birmingham
built the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in
1989 and Charlotte built a new ballpark in
1991, Jacksonville city council still wasn’t
convinced that a new stadium was a good
idea.
After much deliberation and discussion, the
Jacksonville Suns would finally get a new
home. In 2003, more than 10 years after Bra-
gan Jr. originally lobbied to city council to
grant them permission for a new stadium,
the dream would become a reality. Helped
along the way by strong ties and a com-
mitment to the community, the Baseball
Grounds would become a game changer in
Jacksonville, as the $34 million, 11,000 seat
facility led the league in attendance during
its first nine seasons.
Having doubled and tripled their attendance
numbers, the Jacksonville Suns were now one
of southern Florida’s most beloved teams.
In a city dominated by professional sports
leagues garnering multitudes of nationwide
attention, minor league baseball was back
and bigger than ever. But while the stadium
was constructed as part of the Better Jack-
sonville Plan, it was Bragan’s hands-on in-
volvement in the process that has helped the
