21 May 2063
Boise, Idaho
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by Tony Toney
Rumors of a new major league baseball stadium, housing the Boise Spuds, were amplified over the weekend when several unnamed sources reported that talks between the city and Spuds ownership regarding such a project were in advanced stages. The sources reported that the project will be submitted as a package containing the new stadium and a multi-use district. The Spuds currently play in the 45,000-seat F. Nephi Grigg Memorial Stadium - a retractable roof facility constructed in 2035 and last renovated in 2059 with the addition of luxury suites and an outdoor dining area, including the Tater Wings & More restaurant, in right field.The location of the rumored baseball-specific stadium is speculated to be in the area of the West Boise Fairgrounds in unincorporated Ada County northwest of downtown. This has alarmed both citizens who frequent the fairgrounds and environmental activists. The fairgrounds has hosted the Boise State Fair for 15 years and houses the Chappelle Dirt Track - a facility beloved by many in the area of the Fairgrounds for its long history of hosting multiple dirt track vehicle racing events every year. There is also concern growing from environmental activists that the rumored location is home to the vejas toad which is an invasive species plaguing the Boise area for at least the last 20 years. Fears are that construction could disturb the vejas toad's spawning grounds which could result in the species spreading, without containment, to new areas around and in Ada County. Said one source, "We have managed to keep the vejas toad, which spreads a slimy film on creeks and ponds that upsets the local habitats, restricted to the area of the Fairgrounds but if it begins to spread to the rest of Ada County and beyond we currently have no answer for this toad species."