Augusta Ballfield Renovation Project

Augusta Ballfield Renovation and Fundraising Campaign Announcement

June 13, 2023

The City of Augusta, Kentucky and Augusta Independent School District are excited to announce a partnership with the Cincinnati Reds Community Fund and St. Elizabeth Healthcare for a complete renovation project at the Augusta Ballfield. All parties involved began negotiations in early 2022 to reconstruct the ballfield and unused park area into a community sponsored athletic facility for the youth of Augusta, Bracken County, and the region. As the new Co-Head Baseball Coach, I welcomed the opportunity to be the facilitator with our tremendous partners working on this capital fundraising project. Our colleagues have completed more than 11 similar projects in the Greater Cincinnati area, and they are focused on enhancing lower economic communities and school districts through their affiliations with youth sports, with both students and community members, while also elevating health initiatives for children.

We are in the initial phases of fundraising, applying for grants, and seeking financial support and commitments available from local citizens, businesses, corporations, foundations, and other outside entities. The Cincinnati Reds Community Fund and St. Elizabeth Healthcare have committed $200,000 for the project, and AISD and the City of Augusta will oversee the $300,000 fundraising campaign in additional funding to begin construction in the fall of 2023.  Our goal is to raise enough monetary contributions and pledges by the end of July to firmly proceed with this once in a lifetime opportunity with a projected Opening Day ceremony in the spring of 2024.  All donations are tax deductible through the Augusta Independent Educational Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit 501(c)(3) dedicated to strengthening opportunities for students at Augusta Independent School District.

The attached marketing document depicts other fields and parks that have been repurposed over the years by the Reds Community Fund, and include Bernie Stowe Field in Delhi, Bellevue Vets Field, Francisco Cordero Field at Pioneer Park in Covington, Frank Robinson Field at Ross Park in St. Bernard, and Lemker Field at St. Elizabeth Ball Park in Ludlow. Each of these facilities have created vibrant, new, and everlasting individual and group sporting activities and locations for their cities and schools to grow and benefit from. We hope with your support, one small river town and school district can obtain this once in a lifetime offer in the Northeastern Kentucky region.

Premier sponsorship levels are as follows: Field naming rights $100,000; Batting Cage $50,000; Dugouts $25,000 each; Scoreboard $20,000; Concessions building $15,000; Bleacher shelters $10,000 each; Bullpens $7,500 each. All levels of contributions are needed and extremely beneficial in fulfilling this remarkable initiative.

Thank you in advance for your support of this transformational project for the youth and residents of our community, and I hope your organization, business, corporation, Board, Foundation, or family will be instrumental in the completion of the new Augusta Ballfield with the support of the Cincinnati Reds, St. Elizabeth Healthcare, and all other entities involved. I look forward to your response and below is my contact information.  Thank you!

Craig Miller                                                                                           AHS Co-Head Baseball Coach

307 Bracken Street                                                                              859-333-0462

Augusta, KY 41002                                                                              craigmiller01@windstream.net