Frontier League All-Star game to be held next year in Joliet

JOLIET – The Joliet Slammers next summer will host the Frontier League All-Star game, which includes three days of activities and enough visitors to fill more than 350 hotel rooms, league officials said Friday.

The All-Star game will be July 12 at Silver Cross Field.

Some events already planned in addition to the game are a home run derby, golf outing, and Frontier League Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

The All-Star game location was announced Friday at Silver Cross Field.

Slammers President Nick Semaca said team officials are meeting with the city and Heritage Corridor Convention & Visitors Bureau to discuss activities for players, staff and other visitors coming to Joliet for the game.

"The players and staff are going to come in on Monday. We have a game on Wednesday. So, we have to find things for them to do," Semaca said.

Frontier League Deputy Commissioner Steve Tahsler described the All-Star game as "our premier event."

Tahsler said the game typically brings enough visitors to fill 350 to 400 hotel rooms. The game fills the stadium.

"We expect that trend to continue next year at Silver Cross Field," he said.

He said this year's All-Star game in Florence, Kentucky brought in Major League Baseball representatives ranging from scouts to an assistant general manager from 20 teams.

In addition to the All-Star players, owners and staff from all the Frontier League teams come to the game, Tahsler said.