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Media Kit: Archived Press Releases
Shell Shockers Pledge 1,000,000 to City Park
February 16, 2006Storm-ravaged City Park is in line for a massive cash boost from the New Orleans Shell Shockers soccer team. The Premier Development League franchise wants to make a huge investment into one of the city's best-loved locations. At a time of frenzied speculation over the future of other local sports teams, this is a sign of the Shell Shockers' commitment and loyalty to New Orleans and Louisiana.
Head coach Kenny Farrell said: “We are here to stay in New Orleans. We have had attractive offers from outside Orleans Parish, but Pan American Stadium is our home and we don't want to leave.” City Park, at 1,300 acres one of the 10 largest urban parks in the nation, was devastated by Katrina. More than 150 years old it suffered as much as 10 feet of flooding to 90 per cent of its area. The salt water from the Gulf of Mexico killed the grass, drowned the administration offices and destroyed over 1,000 trees. Every maintenance vehicle and piece of park equipment was lost.
The park, which attracts more than 11 million visitors annually, has the largest collection of mature live oaks in the world — some of which are estimated to be 1,000 years old. But it receives NO money from the city for operations, and after the storm the board was forced to slash the workforce by 96 per cent, from 260 employees to just 11.
Kenny Farrell said: “Pan American Stadium should be the permanent home of the Shell Shockers and generations of New Orleanians have a special place in their hearts for City Park. I can't wait to seal the deal so that we can start cleaning up the most treasured recreational area in the city.”
Louisiana businessman Michael Balluff has recently become 1/3 owner of the Shell Shockers and is now Club President. He explained that as soon as they get the go-ahead from City Park's Executive Committee the Shell Shockers will pump an initial $150,000 into the dilapidated facility. He said: “I guarantee that within 24 hours we will begin improving the stadium. We will gut the bathrooms and dressing rooms, the fridges in the concession areas have to be professionally cleaned and the back of the press box has been eaten away by termites. But that is only the first phase of our planned cash injection.”
The Shell Shockers want to spend $500,000 replacing the rusted and corroded risers and bleachers with seats to turn Pan American into a state-of-the-art spectator venue. A new press box and corporate sponsor suites have an estimated cost of $200,000, and there are plans to build a proper brick entrance, two children's play areas and to landscape the parking lot. Finally, they propose to create more soccer fields around the stadium which would send total expenditure soaring past seven figures.
Coach Kenny Farrell added: “This city — and indeed Louisiana as a whole — needs more places to play sports, and we want to put something back into the community. We also guarantee that high school football can continue to use Pan American at the same rental rate charged by City Park.”
President Michael Balluff said: “We are ready to put our money where our mouth is and create a first-rate facility in return for a long-term lease. We have met with the Executive Committee and they seem keen, so we are just waiting for the chance to sign on the dotted line. We are raring to go and want to breathe life back into this neglected soccer home.”