Optimizing Site Selection of Minor League Baseball Stadiums

abstract: My thesis examines the location of Minor League Baseball stadiums. From this examination, I will analyze how the location of the stadium impacts attendance levels. Specifically, I will be analyzing various micro-level factors regarding the area surrounding the stadium. The categories to be analyzed include demographics, land usage and access. To evaluate these micro-level factors, comparisons will be taken between the top-15 organizations and bottom-15 organizations in their league relative attendance levels. This comparison will provide information on potential factors that foster a relationship with successful or unsuccessful attendance levels. With the collection of data, many implications can be displayed. In order of significance of the relationship with successful attendance levels, the most impactful category was access, followed by land usage with demographics presenting the least impact on successful attendance levels. Within these categories, various factors presented different levels of connection with its impact on successful attendance levels. In addition, the various factors imposed different levels of significance at different distances surrounding the stadium. As such, it is important to take a holistic approach and consider the relationship each factor has on other factors and the role that the certain factor has on the specific community. This information provides various implications for multiple parties. Most significantly, this analysis will provide information for Minor League Baseball organizations for the optimization of the location for their stadium. Locating its stadium in the most optimal location will ensure the maximization of attendance levels, thus maximizing revenue and profit levels for the business operations of the organization. In addition, this information can also be used by the municipal government that the organization is located to assist in locating the stadium in the most optimal location. The importance of this for community is provided by the positive externalities that result from the enhanced community interaction developed by the Minor League organization. By finding the factors that influence attendance levels, parties within the organization as well as outside the organization can best access the benefits that are created from its operation