NORMAL -- Heartland Community College trustees gave lukewarm responses to a business proposal linked to a new baseball field being built on the West Raab Road campus.

Steve Ekhoff of Bloomington said he has purchased an Extra Innings franchise and would like to work with the CornBelters, a professional baseball team whose field will be on the Normal campus. Heartland also will field its own team, the Hawks.

Ekhoff, a baseball and sports fan who now works in pharmaceuticals, said he “gets chills” over the baseball plans.

Ekhoff’s proposal calls for an indoor, 1,200-square-foot facility to be build behind centerfield for indoor softball and baseball training 12 months a year, a practice area for girls and boys with professional instruction, and a retail shop selling baseball-related items.

The college would get to use the facilities for free and attract more students in the future, he said.

“The downside is that we’d be losing control” of the baseball facility, said trustee Larry Littell.

The trustees expressed concern about allowing one business on the property because others would like an equal opportunity.

The board decided to get more information before making a decision.