Davenport City Council moving ahead with stadium improvements

Davenport’s city council members have taken the first steps toward renovating the city’s 71-year-old baseball stadium. Second Ward Alderman Bob McGivern says John O’Donnell stadium’s been a challenge since he took office.The field was built in 1931 by the Civilian Conservation Corps and the location on the banks of the Mississippi enjoys a great view but the constant danger of flooding. Davenport Mayor Charlie Brooks says the river’s left its banks and flooded the stadium four times in the past seven years. He says they’re finally moving ahead in upgrading the stadium.Brooks says the city had to act after the sale of the Quad City River Bandits to an Ohio group fell through. The renovation will cost an estimated ten million dollars and the team could pick up as much as a third of the cost. Davenport officials say renewing the city’s contracts with an architect and a construction company are the first steps toward renovating the stadium.