At a time when the city is dealing with its own big budget shortfall, it now owns a big slice of the project because it guaranteed a loan from the original developers. The city paid about $5.1 million on the defaulted loan, but it could still be more expensive for taxpayers.
Cleaning up all the weeds and dead trees could cost taxpayers nearly $1 million more, but neighbors are still hopeful that the end result will be something good.
When no one answered the final auction call for Granite Park, the city of Fresno became the new owner of an eyesore growing on the roots of a dream.
"Everybody expected great things out of it," said neighbor Grover Brown.
Neighbors like Brown are hoping the city can succeed where developer /*Milt Barbis*/ failed.
"I'm hoping they make it work because it's a very entertaining place and it's right down the street," said Brown. "I don't have to walk that far."
But six years after the park opened, the only things flourishing are the weeds growing all over the 18-acre plot, even the softball fields.
The scoreboard at a replica of Fenway Park is falling apart and like its counterpart in Boston, there's a sense that this park may be cursed.
"I keep hearing people call it the Granite Park curse and that's certainly something we don't want to stick with that facility," said Deputy City Manager Nicole Zieba.
Barbis struck out on both the park and the connected private businesses, but the city will still consider a partnership with a new developer after closely scrutinizing the developer.
It could also sell the property at a loss to cover part of a big budget shortfall, or it could sit on the acreage until its value goes up. Either way, both neighbors and city officials are hoping for a return to the field of their dreams.
"It had plans to be a beautiful jewel in the facility and I think ultimately, we'll get there again," said Zieba.
The city will officially take control of this area next week and at that point, they'll be able to remove the locks on the fields. But the next step is still up in the air and it could take years to remove that curse of Granite Park. The city is even considering changing the park's name to shed the negative associations.
