Since its opening home game, the Bowling Green Hot Rods are breaking even with their 12-12 record, but Bowling Green’s downtown square is alive and well.

The simple presence of the Hot Rods as well as its 8-8 record since its debut at the Bowling Green Ballpark on April 17, has brought new patrons to the businesses that surround the ballpark.

Warren County’s State Representative Jim DeCesare said he knows that when the decision was made to bring the ballpark to Bowling Green, there were some nay-sayers who didn’t believe that it would survive, but since the team arrived, he has heard positive news all around.

In a struggling economy, the more people who choose to spend their money in Bowling Green, the better.

Mayor Elaine Walker said she spent time looking into how other cities used the implementation of a new sports team to benefit their city, especially in times when the cities were trying to revitalize themselves.

“What I discovered was that those local governments seemed to believe that these were the driving forces behind their redevelopment,” Walker said.

“In Louisville, Lexington, Gary, Ind., and some of the other cities’ mayors I have spoken to all have said that these were wonderful additions to their downtown and were sparks that helped to stimulate additional investment.”

The addition of the ballpark also means a few new jobs. The Hot Rods will employ 20-25 year-round staffers and between 75-100 people during the season.

The ballpark can also double as concert venues as well as public forums.

The addition of the ballpark doesn’t come without some risks, however, but those risks could be worth taking, Walker said.

“If the redevelopment project does not go forward, there are some risks,” Walker said, “But I think it’s a calculated risk because (the ballpark) is helping to spur the redevelopment. So if we can create the kind of redevelopment that we are hoping to, it will actually pay for itself.”

Owner Art Solomon is one of the main reasons why Walker is confident that the Hot Rods can continue to be successful, both on the field and in the community.

Solomon has proven that he knows how to create family entertainment and commit to a community, Walker said.

Solomon is also the proud owner of another minor league team called the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.

Out of all of the owners that Walker has talked to over the years, she considers Solomon to be the “number one draft pick” of owners.

Hot Rods General Manager Brad Taylor couldn’t be reached for comment.

The Hot Rods will play 58 games at Bowling Green Ballpark before the season’s end, giving businesses more time to potentially continue to reap the benefits they’ve seen early in the season.