NORMAL - A Normal minor league baseball stadium and team took a step closer to reality Monday night when the City Council approved a binding "memorandum of understanding" between the town, Heartland Community College and Normal Professional Baseball LLC.

The council also approved the purchase of the Normal Masonic Temple, 120 N. Broadway, and agreed to invest $244,000 in the fraternal organization's new building to be built at One Normal Plaza.

"If you dream, it's entirely possible that something will happen that's ideal," said Councilman Adam Nielsen about the minor league team and stadium.

"We're not just getting a $12 million stadium, it's a community asset," added Councilman Jeff Fritzen.

Under the terms of the memorandum, Normal Professional Baseball LLC, headed by Michael Veeck, will build a baseball stadium at Heartland Community College and develop a minor league baseball team affiliated with the Frontier League. Play would start in the 2010 season.

"It's unprecedented to have private funding for the stadium," said Fritzen.

Normal will be responsible for public improvements including a $1.5 million, 1,000 space parking lot. Heartland will provide a long-term land lease for $1 a year and contribute $3.5 million to the project. The stadium will include playing facilities for the college's athletic teams.

The Heartland Community College board will consider the pact tonight.

"I believe this is a terrific community and a terrific deal," said Veeck, who sold his interests in several teams affiliated with Major League Baseball so he could pursue this project.

While Veeck said he's never embarked on a situation like this before, "If it operates the way we believe we can and historical do, we'll earn your respect."

Veeck said besides baseball, the stadium could host concerts, yard sales, rodeos, car shows and local youth sports. He said sharing the facility with Heartland is "not a problem."

Masonic Temple

All but one council member, Chuck Scott, voted to purchase the Masonic Temple for $500,000 and invest $244,000 in the organization's new building.

Scott said he could go along with purchasing the building for the $415,000 appraisal but did not think the town should pay more or invest in the lodge's new building.

City Manager Mark Peterson said the lodge did not have the money to bridge the gap between what it would make on the sale of its current building and the $744,783 cost of a new building.

While other members said they understood Scott's concerns, they were looking at the broader goal of obtaining the property for the uptown redevelopment. One Main Development of Champaign would like to incorporate the Mason's building or use the site in its second planned mixed-use building.

"The overall picture is to help the total community," said Councilwoman Sonja Reece.