By Jim Bastian

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM — On Monday, the New Ulm Baseball Association (NUBA) formally submitted a written proposal to the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) to host the Class A and/or AA Minnesota State High School baseball tournaments.

New Ulm is proposing to host the tournaments or tournaments at both Johnson and Mueller Parks in New Ulm.

“We were sent a RFP (request for proposal) from the MSHSL in late April to bid our interest in hosting the Class A and potential AA state baseball tournaments,” NUBA President Bob Skillings said. “About three years ago, some members of our association expressed interest in applying to host these state tournaments. I then contacted Bob Madison (Senior Associate Director and Vice President of Baseball Tournaments) and he was receptive to the idea. Because of that, we invited Bob and Erich Martens (Executive Director of the MSHSL) to come down and take a look at our facilities.”

Also present at the informal meeting at both parks were New Ulm Park and Rec Director Joey Schugel and Ryan Weier (Facilities Maintenance Supervisor) along with several NUBA members.

“They were very positive about our parks and our interest, so this RFP is a culmination of our interest,” Skillings said.

While intially New Ulm was the only party putting a bid in on the state tournament that has been held in St. Cloud, the MSHSL and Madison have sent out RFP to other locations that have hosted in the past.

“So there is probably some competition here,” Skillings said. “They have sent RFP to CHS Field, St. Cloud, Jordan and Chaska. The RFP process is something new for (MSHSL).”

Skillings said that the RFP for the state baseball tournaments is for the next four years.

“It would be for years 2025 through 2028.”

The state title games in both classes would still be played at Target Field.

Skillings said that some of the inquiries into New Ulm was what the spectator capacity was at both Johnson (1,328) and Mueller (1,080).

“That was important to them,” he said. “And they wanted to know what the MSHSL costs would be if New Ulm was the host. Basically the MSHSL will not have any costs for the ballparks.

“NUBA will pay for the field rent and all of the workers here which would include field preparation, the maintenance of the ballparks, ticket-takers, concession cooks and workers, announcers, scoreboard operators, security. All of those workers during games will either be city staff that will be paid by the city or volunteers that come from NUBA. They will have no cost for all of the workers and the facilities.”

Previously, the MSHSL has paid St. Cloud for workers for the state tournaments.

“We are not as centralized in Minnesota as St. Cloud and most A and AA teams are not from the Metro area,” Skillings said. “Some regions would have to travel further to New Ulm, but others would not.”

Skillings said that when New Ulm Cathedral has been in the state tournament, they have chosen to stay in a hotel in St. Cloud.

He said that there has been support from local high school baseball coaches and athletic directors on New Ulm hosting the state tournaments.

“Alan Woitas, who is the Cathedral high school baseball coach, has been on board for this from the beginning and has been in touch with (MSHSL),” Skillings said. “And Bruce Woitas, head baseball coach at Sleepy Eye St. Marys, who is on the Coaches Advisory Committee, has also been very supportive. When they were down here, both Alan and Bruce were at that meeting.”

Skillings also said that New Ulm being the host for the state tournaments received a letter of support from St. Peter Athletic Director Shea Roehrkasse.

“He is also in charge of the Section 2AAA baseball tournament that New Ulm has and continues to host since 2016,” Skillings said. “He wrote a very positive letter in support of our proposal — it was very positive.”

Skillings said Joey Schugel wrote a very positive and detailed letter of support.

“Schugel’s letter said we have spent $2.5 million over the years on the ballparks and the fan experience,” Skillings said. “We also received two letters from the Chamber of Commerce — one was from the Convention and Visitors Bureau and the other was from Chamber President Cheryl Warmka. Both letters were very supportive of us and detailed about New Ulm and the quality that we have here the support that the New Ulm business community would give towards hosting these tournaments.”

Skillings said that New Ulm is prepared to host both A and AA.

“Our two baseball parks are amongst the best in the state and we can handle both classes,” he said. “I sent them a list of tournaments we have hosted in the past.”

Skillings said he was told that the MSHSL will make a decision by June 30.