PEORIA (25News Now) – Dozer Park, home of the Peoria Chiefs, is finally getting an upgrade.
These improvements will cost nearly $2.8 million and include updated locker rooms, LED lighting, more safety netting around the park and an upgrade to the interior of the clubhouse.
Minor League Baseball has called for these changes to be implemented.
The Peoria City Council is considering approving two changes to the Downtown Stadium tax increment financing (TIF), which was created in 2000 when the park was built.
One amendment extends the term of the TIF to 2035. The other amendment would allow a refund of the tax money the stadium pays to help finance the improvements.
“They only pay a little over $100,000 a year in taxes, so that will be reimbursed to them,” said Patrick Urich, Peoria’s city manager. “That will cover some of the costs of the redevelopment.”
The reimbursements will cover $1.8 million of the cost of improving the park. The Chiefs will also have to pay more than $980,000 themselves.
MiBL requires the park to make these updates in order to continue operations.
We support the Chiefs very much,” Urich said. “They are an important part of downtown and an important part of the city of Peoria, our vibrancy here in the region. We hope that this will keep the Chiefs here for a very long time.”
The park is expected to complete these renovations by the start of the 2025 season.
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