Quincy is set to make a significant mark in the baseball world as Golden Rule Entertainment, the parent company of the Quincy Baseball Club, announced on November 15 that a team will take the field during the summer of 2025. President Jamie Toole introduced the ownership group and Brad Gyorkos as the team's manager, along with a name-the-team contest. However, an important issue looms large.

Former Owners' Concerns and Stadium Status

Former owners Jimmie and Julie Louthan had serious reservations about safety and infrastructure at QU Stadium when they decided to sell the Quincy Gems in September 2023. The Full Count Rhythm played in the Prospect League in 2024 but disbanded after one year. The stadium, built in 1938, still has concerns that need addressing. Conversations with officials from Quincy University, the City of Quincy, and Golden Rule Entertainment continue regarding plans to renovate the stadium.Some questions have been answered, but not all. Hoker remains confident that the stadium will be ready by the end of May. He said, "Nobody has said, 'We can't get it done.' We're going to try our best. Between the school, the city and us, there's not been one time where somebody said no. We've all said, 'Here's our issue. We've got to find a solution.' But nobody's ever said, 'Hey, we're not doing that.' And that's good. We'll figure it out. We have some time. Winter's coming, so there's not much we can do now, but we feel we are in a good space."The stadium improvements needed before Prospect League play begins include improving the seats, updating the lighting, and renovating the dugouts.

Quincy University's Role

Josh Rabe, the athletic director at Quincy University, stated that the school is replacing the dugouts regardless of whether baseball is played there next summer. If weather permits, this work will be completed in December or January, or after QU's last regular season game on April 27. "We're going to change the design a little bit," Rabe said. "They're just not going to be as deep. … We're just property owners, and we have our own schedule of deferred maintenance. The dugouts obviously need to be replaced." The dugouts were last renovated before the 2007 or 2008 seasons.

City and Business Involvement

Quincy Mayor Mike Troup said after the November 18 Quincy City Council meeting that the new ownership group has pledged to contribute money towards replacing the stadium bleachers. However, the aldermen in the 2nd Ward, Jeff Bergman (Republican) and Dave Bauer (Democrat), did not support the request. The city has reached out to local businesses to assess their interest in the bleacher project. "We've got one yes in that (a business) would be interested in some level of participation," Troup said. "I'm waiting to hear from another business, and then if we can pull a package together, then we can hopefully move forward."Hoker believes that once financing is determined, work on the bleachers will commence once winter ends. He said the plan is to remove all the wooden planks, replace them, and add new plastic seats. "That's not going to be an issue, I don't think," he said. "As you can finish one side, you can do the other side. Just flip-flop." He also mentioned that the team is seeking capital for long-term investments in the stadium, such as replacing the field turf and turfing the outfield.

Golden Rule Entertainment's Plans

The Springfield Lucky Horseshoes, another team owned by Golden Rule Entertainment, will host the 2025 All-Star game. Hoker said, "We have a one-year runway here, so we're going to sell the heck out of it, and it's going to be a great opportunity for that city and those players. We want to bring, eventually, the All-Star game to Quincy." He also mentioned that Jeff Jarrett, a wrestling promoter and part of the ownership group, has promised to bring a professional wrestling card to the stadium. A pro wrestling card at Springfield's Robin Roberts Stadium attracted about 1,200 fans. "Jeff is in new business growth and also writes storylines for (All-Elite Wrestling)," Hoker said. "All these young men — we want to call them second-tier wrestlers — are really good wrestlers who are looking for a break. They all came to Springfield because Jeff asks. We had a wonderful card of future superstars and great performers that last two and a half hours. Jeff got into the ring and performed, and it was a great, great show."