Prospects not playing in 2023 in order to 'concentrate' on finishing Spruce Grove ballpark

Edmonton Prospects. File photo.

Another, albeit expected, delay in the timeline for the opening of a new ballpark in Spruce Grove has been confirmed.

But not only will the Edmonton Prospects not play at the new facility west of Edmonton for another two years, they won't play at all until 2024, owner Pat Cassidy told CTV News Edmonton on Thursday.

The team is taking a leave of absence next year in the Western Canadian Baseball League "in order to concentrate full organizational efforts on bringing the ballpark to life for the Spring of 2024," Cassidy said.

"We are working towards the completion of this exciting project, but it will take some time."

The park – renamed in February as the Myshak Metro Ballpark after sponsor Acheson-based company Myshak Group – was originally supposed to open in 2022, but construction hiccups pushed the schedule back to 2023.

In the summer, Cassidy called the new schedule "likely to change" again, given labour and material shortages and bad weather.

Horizontal construction and ground service work has been started at the site at Highway 16A and Pioneer Road.