In the summer of 2023, the Crookston Baseball Association and the City of Crookston agreed to add new grandstand seating behind home plate at Jim Karn Field. The project included 238 seats, with 133 being stadium seating. Four wheelchair spaces, along with 100 bench seats designed as bleacher seating.
The Southern Bleacher Company started the project in late November. “For Stadium seating at Karn field, it’s progressing quite well,” said Crookston Baseball Association Secretary Corky Reynolds. “The Baseball Association contracted with a company to put in stadium seating. This involves a hard plastic chair, and I believe it will be a fold-out style with cup holders. The superstructure is in. I think it’s going quicker than the Baseball Association thought, and it will be awesome!”
The press box renovation is the next possible improvement to Jim Karn Field. Reynolds expressed that the press box is the area that most needs an upgrade to ensure comfort and an overall better experience for announcers and commentators.
The total project cost for the seating was in the amount of $180,000, which the Crookston Baseball Association completely funded. “In July, we made the commitment as an association to do this for Jim Karn Field,” said Reynolds. “We’d donate this to the city; the cost is approximately $180,000. At this point, we either have all of the funds available, or we’re very close, and within the next few months, we will have all of the money.”
