West Coast League group pitches Lakewood franchise at Fort Steilacoom Park

Tony Bonacci, a co-owner of the Southwest Washington Baseball Group and representative of the West Coast League, proposed bringing a Lakewood team to Fort Steilacoom Park's Field 1, saying the league is a summer collegiate baseball circuit that plays roughly 60 games a season with about 30 home dates. "The West Coast League is a summer collegiate baseball league," Bonacci said, describing the league's growth since 2005 and its role in player development.

Roxanne Miles, Lakewood's parks and recreation community services director, introduced Bonacci and said the city has a partnership with Pierce College and is considering the Home Field Complex as a site. Bonacci told council the operation emphasizes community engagement: teams run camps, partner with youth organizations, and provide paid internships and summer jobs. He said his organization typically creates roughly 60 summer employment opportunities and substantive paid internships across roles such as broadcasting, accounting and sports science.

Council members pressed Bonacci on finances, facility needs and timing. Bonacci said the relationship with Lakewood would be a use agreement rather than ownership and that some city participation in capital improvements is likely. "It would be a use agreement relationship," he said. He described the essential facility elements as a college-dimension playing field with lights, a fenced ballpark experience, concessions and restrooms; he estimated the group would target an average attendance around "the 1,300 people average range" on most nights and said open capacity for up to 2,000 people on larger nights would be helpful.

Bonacci said the group aims to be in position to play in 2027 if scheduling and agreements align with the league's planning timeline. He noted the group has operated teams long-term in other cities and that the organization would pursue community naming, branding and local engagement opportunities.

City staff and council said they are interested but noted outstanding issues: clarifying the use agreement, identifying funding or cost-sharing for needed improvements, confirming parking and neighborhood impacts, and aligning any work with the city's master planning process. Miles and the mayor said staff will continue discussions with the group and with the city manager and economic development staff to explore funding options, including sales-tax and lodging-related revenues that could flow to the city.

The council did not take formal action; Bonacci left the meeting to continue follow-up discussions with staff.