Summer in Athens will mark the opening of a new East State Street shopping complex, built on 40 acres of University-owned land formerly used for the airport.

A Wal-Mart Supercenter, expected to provide about 250 full- and part-time jobs, takes up almost half the property and should open in June, says John Burns, the University's director of legal affairs. So far, a Ruby Tuesday's restaurant and a Burger King will occupy the site, which is being developed by Wisconsin-based Continental Properties.

"Future development of the mall is being discussed with the developer regarding restaurants and other kinds of shops," Burns says. Final decisions are expected by September. Once the entire project is completed, it could add $1 million in property taxes to the local economy, he says.

Time to play (summer) ball!

Athens is home to the Southern Ohio Baseball Club, a new franchise in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League, and four Ohio University players have made the roster.

"A team like this provides a great lab experience for students interested in event management and baseball in particular," says Andy Kreutzer, associate professor and coordinator of the University's Sports Administration and Facility Management program, who will serve as interim general manager of the Southern Ohio Copperheads.

Even details such as ticket sales, ushers, promotions, scorekeeping and the public address system will be handled by students, he says.

The franchise will play 22 home games at the Athens campus' Bob Wren Stadium and 22 away games, says league President and Commissioner Roger Ingles. Also in the league are two Michigan teams, two Pittsburgh area teams and eight other teams from Ohio.

Founded in 1986, the league is one of eight sanctioned by the NCAA and partially funded by Major League Baseball. More than 450 league alumni have been drafted and/or signed to professional contracts.