After a 111 year absence, professional minor league baseball is making its way back to Cleburne, and they’re pretty excited about it. Rightfully so.
From the Archives
In an ultimate act of leaving on a high note, the 1906 Cleburne Railroaders defeated the Fort Worth Cats to win the Texas League Championship, and then they vanished. But now, the team is making its comeback.
I recently visited with Cleburne Chamber of Commerce Tourism Director Heather Juarez who was excited to share that the Railroaders will return in 2017.
Cleburne Railroaders Baseball President Robbie Fenyes says, “The South End of the Chisholm Trail Parkway has created a natural gateway for Cleburne and, along with a vision by the mayor and city officials, paved the way for a 75-acre, mixed-use retail/restaurant/family oriented location including a 3,000-seat capacity minor league baseball stadium.”
In honor of Cleburne’s train and railroad heritage, the stadium will be known as the Depot and will be built near the Chisholm Trail Parkway and Nolan River Road.
The city has contracted with Cleburne Railroaders Baseball LLC, to oversee operation and maintenance of the park and team. Cleburne Railroad will bring in the minor leage baseball team, fielding 50 home games between May and September as well as offer other community events such as car shows and concerts.
Fenyes said Cleburne voters in November overwhelmingly voted to fund the project and approved the issuance of $25 million in bonds to pay for the city’s portion of the project, which is the stadium.
“You know, once voters said yes in November, everyone quickly got to work, he said. “We want to involve everyone around, especially those here in Alvarado,” he said.
Stadium construction begins in June and is set to be completed in April 2017, in time for the season opener in May.
