Quills Up: Dune Coast Brings Summer Baseball to New Buffalo

Photos Courtesy of Brian Williams, Dune Coast Quillbacks

Next summer, a new ballpark will open for baseball travelers along Lake Michigan, bringing summer collegiate baseball to a new community.

The Dune Coast Quillbacks of the Northwoods League will take the field in 2027, bringing summer collegiate baseball to Michiana. The expansion team will play at Bison Field in New Buffalo, Michigan, a high school venue that is now being upgraded with more than $750,000 in capital improvements.

Private contributions and a $150,000 Michigan Department of Economic Development grant were secured after half the amount was raised through local crowdfunding. All upgrades will come at no cost to taxpayers.

The Quills founders are Tom Rowland and Brian Williams, who wanted to bring something to connect the communities of northwest Indiana and southwest Michigan during the summer months. The ballpark will continue to be used by the New Buffalo High School baseball team and for other events in the off-season.

There are 150,000 people within a 15-mile radius of the ballpark, and the Quills hope to attract fans from as far north as Benton Harbor, Michigan, and as far east as Valparaiso, Indiana. The Dunes Coast name reflects the shared identity of the shoreline, not favoring any one city or community in the neighboring states.

“The area has seen an explosion of full-time residents in the past five years and is a tourist-friendly area,” Williams said. “We want them to have something to do after a day at the beach during the evenings.”

Bison Field will include a 600-seat grandstand, baseline bleachers, a press box, a social area, and special LED lighting to reduce glare to nearby homes.  It has already been fitted with new dugouts and a backstop, along with artificial turf, sod, and a warning track that features crushed rock.

“We went with Pivot artificial turf by Geo Services,” said Williams. “The Pivot turf will play more like natural grass than the rubber infield turf where the ball bounces higher. It’s also safer for players because cleats won’t stick.”  

The stadium will have a unique outfield wall configuration because of the track around the adjacent football field. There is a curved 16-foot-high wall where the track is in right-center field. This will present a little creativity in the seating sections at the stadium.

There will be a party patio along the first baseline that will feature high-top tables and chairs. Picnic tables will be set up in right and left center field. The picnic tables idea was inspired by a visit to the home of the Portland Pickles, Walker Stadium.

“We can fit up to six people at each table and are looking at painting them,” added Williams. “It will be a casual group environment.”

The Quills will have similar-style picnic tables like at Walker Field in Portland, Oregon. Photo by Brian Williams

However, the most interesting seating section is the terrace grass berm behind the right field wall, dubbed Warren’s Dune. It is named after the team’s mascot and nearby Warren Dune State Park. Fans will be allowed to bring in their own lawn chairs, and tickets will cost $5. Williams sees it as a way for families to enjoy a ballgame for around $20.

Game day promotions will include family-friendly entertainment, locally sourced concession items, live music, and an inviting small-town atmosphere to create a vibe for a tourist area known for its beaches, dunes, vineyards, and walkable towns.

“We’re slowly putting together something special in New Buffalo. It will be a celebration of the region and local businesses, from food trucks to local breweries and wineries.”

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Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel. Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com