Aces looking to give Reno a 'great escape' during recession

BY THOMAS RANSON

Nevada Appeal News Service

RENO " While the recession continues to plague the country with unemployment and foreclosures, Northern Nevadans now have something to not only look to as an escape but an opportunity to pump money back into the economy.

Welcome to one of the challenges facing the Reno Aces, Northern Nevada's first-ever Triple-A baseball team that begins its inaugural season in April. But the team, affiliated with the Arizona Diamondbacks, is on a mission to survive the turmoil and restore professional baseball back to Reno.

"When you're talking about economics, you're bringing in a lot of permanent jobs," Aces general manager Rick Parr said of at least 200 job openings before April. "We're going to be taking a lot of game-day staff and as we start to gain a game plan for the whole thing, we're going to be doing concerts and other events outside of baseball, which means we're going to have to hire more people. We really believe we'll not only be a stress relief from this economic downturn, but I think people need an escape."

Like the mass escape from a German prisoner-of war camp during World War II, Parr envisions the Aces being that "great escape" for residents looking to forget their troubles or wanting to see a recruit rise in through the ranks. Even those looking for a job will be in luck.

"That's very important in times like this and we become the great escape," Parr said. "Then we become real and generating revenue, which will get people jobs, and that helps both ways. This is too good. I'm at the right place at the right time for the right reason. This is the best thing that can happen to Reno. We've been waiting a long time for this."

Not only does Parr plan on the team creating a new job market, but fielding a club that plays good baseball and can produce quality big leaguers will help when the newness wears off. Signing former major leaguer Brett Butler in December as the Aces' first manager was the first step.

"The newness of a first-year team gets things going," Butler said. "It gets them sparked up and fired up and ready to do the job. But that newness will wear away. If you don't have a quality product to put on the field, then you're not going to even need to come to the ballpark. As a manager it is my responsibility to get them to be the best that they can."

What can you expect from a team that won't field any players until after spring training? Based on Butler's experience as a player and coach, fans can expect a competitive team with the goal of advancing as many players as it can to the next level.

"The kind of baseball you're going to see is fundamentally and situationally sound baseball," Butler said. "The players are going to know how to play the game and they're quality people who we're going to draft in the Diamondback organization."

Creating the family atmosphere, both in the clubhouse and with the fans, can also contribute to the team succeeding in the region.

"Two things that stick out for me was the stadium," Butler said. "The second thing that sticks out for me is at the dinner (on Wednesday) and just how I felt like I was part of family. The enthusiasm, the excitement and everything that Reno has to offer, I tell you what, we're excited."

Although the Reno-Sparks area has the smallest population in the Pacific Coast League, relying on the rural communities is going to be paramount to the Aces' success. Whether it's through reaching out to local baseball programs or helping out a charity, Parr said one of their strategies is geared toward getting everyone involved.

"We're definitely going to reach out to them in those communities," Parr said. "We're going to do that with group sales efforts. You'll come out as a community as we'll honor you and just have a ball. We do have a strategy to do that. Once people come out once, they're going to get hooked on it."