WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Members of Wilmington City Council have unanswered questions after Mandalay Baseball’s proposal last night. Some want more private dollars involved. Even so, they believe a ballpark would be a big boost to Wilmington’s economy.

“It’s not about a bunch of guys dressing up and playing a game on a field, this is about economic development,” said Wilmington City Councilwoman, Margaret Haynes.

That’s why city council says it is doing its due diligence when it comes to building a ballpark. Tuesday night, Mandalay Baseball said the expected cost for a stadium is $33 to $36 million. Flywheel-Trask, the private investors, will contribute $10.5 million toward that cost. Some council members hope that number goes up.

“This has to be done in a very responsible, orderly fashion and that’s why we have National Sports to meet our fiduciary responsibility to the citizens,” Haynes said.

Council members still have many questions when it comes to Mandalay’s proposal, including where’s the ballpark going to go? Mayor Pro-tem Earl Sheridan says he would still like to see it in the proposed site downtown.

“Of course I’m willing to look at other things but I’m hopeful that some sort of site that’s in the downtown area will be one that is chosen and can work for this thing,” Sheridan said.

City council members say they did not ask questions following the presentation because they are going to wait for its consultant, NSS, to analyze it first.

They say this is just the beginning of a process they hope will bring minor league baseball to the Port City.

“Theres been a lot of excitement since we’ve been talking about this thing so yeah, I do see it building,” said Sheridan. “I’m just hoping that we can get some more specifics.”

City council members say no final decision has been made on funding.
the city manager and project manager will review the preliminary proposal before they further discuss deal terms.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — EMS rushed a bicyclist to the hospital after he crashed into an SUV in downtown Wilmington.

Witnesses say the driver pulled out in front of the bicycle and that the man’s head slammed through a window of the SUV.

The bicyclist’s co-worker says he was on a delivery for Jimmy Johns.

Wilmington police are investigating.

Knoxville, TN (NEWS RELEASE) — Regal Entertainment Group, a leading motion picture exhibitor owning and operating the largest theatre circuit in the United States, today announced The IMAX Experience® will open this summer at Regal Mayfaire Stadium 16. The IMAX Theatre will showcase films in one of the existing auditoriums through a newly installed IMAX digital projection system, specially-designed IMAX screen, and a powerful audio system delivering laser-aligned digital sound.

“Regal’s Mayfaire Stadium 16 is already an extremely popular location drawing moviegoers from all across the region. The addition of the IMAX Experience will further enhance the entertainment choices available for our loyal patrons in Wilmington,” stated Russ Nunley, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Regal Entertainment Group.

Movies to be released in IMAX include: The Dark Knight Rises (07/20), Frankenweenie in 3D (10/05), Skyfall (James Bond) (11/09), Gravity in 3D (11/21) and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in 3D (12/23).

IMAX digital projection systems showcase Hollywood blockbusters that have been digitally re-mastered into the unique image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience as well as original documentary-style IMAX content. Films are projected on a specially-designed screen that is slightly curved and moved forward to further immerse the audience. Images of exceptional quality, combined with IMAX’s proprietary digital surround sound system and patented theatre geometry create “The IMAX Experience,” making audiences feel as if they are IN the movie.

Regal IMAX Theatres also offer IMAX® 3D. When filmmakers choose to integrate IMAX 3D into their movies, images leap off of the screen and into the laps of the audience, further enhancing the feeling of being IN the movie. This is made possible by a combination of IMAX’s powerful 3D projection system – which simultaneously projects two separate images onto the IMAX screen – and polarized IMAX 3D glasses that audience members wear to fuse the two images into a single three-dimensional motion picture. The result is an amazing IMAX 3D Experience where the screen disappears and the movie envelops the audience.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Local cops put on their running shoes this morning for a good cause.

The runners set off to carry the Special Olympics Flame of Hope from the Wilmington Police Department to the Pender County line, where they handed it off to another team.

The Torch Run is held not only to kick off the Special Olympics Summer Games, but to express the partnership between the Special Olympics and the law enforcement community.

“Police officers and correctional employees and deputies who run in this event are dedicated to Special Olympics and the purpose of it, and many of them have run for years,” Wilmington Police spokeswoman Lucy Crockett said.

The relay continues tomorrow from the Food Lion in Hampstead at 8 a.m. It continues until the torch makes it to Raleigh.

Although the forecast wasn’t ideal to kick off the run today, the torch’s flame is designed to withstand the rain.