The Ballpark in Old Orchard Beach is a tremendous asset that has been underused for many years now. While it’s host to the Raging Tide summer collegiate baseball team, the town-owned site is only rarely used for other events, such as the Woofstock event for dogs and their owners.
The town should embrace the ballpark as a venue for all sorts of performances that will draw crowds to the seaside town and make it a destination for those who might not otherwise consider a visit. Not everyone enjoys a surf-and-sand outing, even with the glorious beachfront and fun shops and nightclubs in the town. The Ballpark gives OOB a perfect opportunity to draw in these people just the same, with its opportunity to host a varied array of entertainment options. The site was previously used as a concert venue when it was privately owned, but was turned over to the town in 1997 and fell into disrepair and disuse, according to The Ballpark website. It was not until the mid-2000s that the facility’s future came back onto the town’s radar, and now that a concerted volunteer effort has seen it back to glory, The Ballpark should be used to its full potential.
It’s unfortunate that the King of the Beach mixed martial arts competition, slated for Aug. 23 at The Ballpark, has been met with resistance by some residents. At a council meeting earlier this month, the council heard protests against the MMA event ”“ some from people who are not actually familiar with the sport at all. Most people know that martial arts is, in fact, an artform that takes a great deal of training and mental control. These MMA contests allow those who have spent years training in various martial arts to showcase their skills against an opponent, and it’s sometimes compared to a wrestling or boxing match.
Methodist Pastor Michael Gray and others, however, say they have been working toward ridding the town of what he referred to as a “honky-tonk” image, trying to make the beachfront community a more classy destination, and that this MMA event doesn’t fit with that new direction. He raised concerns about the message it sends for the town to host such an event.
The only message we see is this: The Ballpark is back on the map as a venue for big-ticket events, and this is just the beginning.
While we applaud the efforts of Gray and others to make the town safer in recent years, we’d like to point out that OOB’s image as a working man’s beach is a big part of its charm. Not every place can be Kennebunkport ”“ and who would want it to be? Every seaside town has its own identity, and OOB’s has long been that of a kitschy, family-friendly, middle-class place with its arcades and shops with inappropriate T-shirts. To put it simply, OOB is known for being fun and easy-going ”“ not necessarily high class ”“ and that’s not a bad thing.
The MMA event fits right in with the capabilities of the venue and with the pop culture vibe of OOB, and there’s no valid reason to reject it. MMA is a widely recognized sport that has gained popularity in recent years as a spectator event, with its own stars and stats. This isn’t street fighting or unruly brawling.
Part of the hubbub over the MMA event was apparently due to the misperception that the competition was going to be held in the town square, but the event is simply going to be promoted in the square with competitor weigh-ins on the preceding Friday night, with no live fighting taking place. Those who want to see the real thing will have to buy tickets and be admitted to The Ballpark, while those who do not can simply go about their business. Promoting Ballpark events in the town square is a great idea, since that is where the bulk of the tourist traffic congregates ”“ and many of them may not even be aware The Ballpark exists. If the given event is somehow objectionable for consumption by the general public, the town could draw up specific guidelines for what the promoters can show in the downtown area, but we believe the current ordinances would prevent anything obscene.
Several dedicated volunteers have worked very hard in recent years to bring The Ballpark back to life, and we hope the town will honor their work by making a commitment to the success of the venue by hosting a variety of activities and shows.
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Today’s editorial was written by Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Kristen by calling 282-1535, ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.
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