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“Welcome to the new and improved, historic Hinchliffe Stadium,” Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh told a raucous crowd gathered last month for the ribbon cutting of the former Negro Leagues ballpark.

Sayegh, a well-known New York Mets fan, walked up to the podium at the ribbon cutting in dramatic fashion following a heartfelt introduction from his wife and Paterson first lady, Farhanna Sayegh, who recounted the journey to resurrect Hinchliffe Stadium, which had been closed since 1997. Sayegh took center stage with the same entrance music used by Mets closer Edwin Diaz – Narco, a Blasterjaxx and Timmy Trumpet song – blasting over the stadium speakers.

The journey to that day included a fact-finding mission to Birmingham, Ala., to visit Rickwood Field, the only other stadium still standing that hosted Negro Leagues games. After two unsuccessful mayoral campaigns, Sayegh finally won the office in 2018 and immediately made resurrecting Hinchliffe a priority for his administration and the center of a broader economic development strategy for the area around Paterson’s Great Falls.

Hinchliffe, which opened in 1932, was also used as a primary space for Paterson high school sports, community events, graduations and more. But since its closure, the site had fallen into disrepair and disintegration.

The Paterson first lady said that some of the lessons learned from the 2009 fact-finding trip were brought back and applied to Hinchliffe.

“Guess what that learning was about?” she asked. “It was about everybody here – all of you in the stands and everyone here coming together for this cause. So, I want to say thank you to everyone for allowing my husband and your crazy mayor to bring this back to life.”

“This puts Paterson in the win column,” the mayor said while donning a white Paterson baseball jersey that matched his wife. “This is a victory for history.”

The ribbon cutting brought together a notable group that included politicians, officials, media members, sports legends, performers and community stakeholders as well as local students, law enforcement, and many others.

Among the speakers and VIPs was Whoopi Goldberg, a guest of the Sayeghs, who also has a son-in-law from the Silk City.

“Amazing things are happening here in Paterson,” Goldberg said. “This is one of the amazing things. And I’m really glad to be here.”

Goldberg cited Hinchliffe as the type of monument she would like to see more of. “Because it’s a monument to us as human beings and to us as Americans,” The View co-host explained. “Because we’re all part of the same party.”

“My mom used to tell us, ‘Big goals produce big results. Little goals produce little results,’” said MLB Network’s Harold Reynolds, who has been a long-time advocate and supporter of the project. “So, I’m telling you right now, this was a big goal, and it’s going to produce big results.”

“The rebirth of Hinchliffe Stadium is a testament to the power of community and the resilient spirit of this great city,” U.S. Sen. Cory Booker told the gathering. “I celebrate the vast collective will of public and private partners who joined forces under Mayor Sayegh’s leadership to keep the dream of this stadium alive. Hinchliffe Stadium is a cherished national treasure, once home to legends and an essential part of our history. I’m so excited that it is now, once again, a community asset that will serve and inspire Paterson students and residents of our region for generations to come.”

And the project did require the collective will of a number of stakeholders over the years to get to this point, with the stadium reopened and serving as the home to Paterson events once again. The venue is also home to the New Jersey Jackals, an independent minor league baseball team owned by Paterson native Al Dorso, who are playing their home games at Hinchliffe this season.

Friends of Hinchliffe Stadium was at the center of those early advocacy efforts that helped generate the grassroots support and momentum needed to revitalize Hinchliffe. “We did lot of work; we now pass the baton to the public to support Jackals baseball and all of the ticketed events at Hinchliffe Stadium,” Brian LoPinto, one of the group’s co-founders, told NJBIZ.

Baye Adofo-Wilson, a Silk City native and founder of BAW Development, was another critical stakeholder in the historic project. BAW Development and RPM Development Group led the $103 million Hinchliffe Stadium Neighborhood Restoration Project, which includes the resurrected 7,800-seat stadium; a new 315-space parking garage; a six-story, 75-unit affordable senior housing building; a 3,800-square foot food court; a 5,200-square foot preschool; and the 4,000-square foot Charles J. Muth Museum of Hinchliffe Stadium, which will showcase the ballpark’s history as a centerpiece in Negro Leagues Baseball, auto-racing, and high school football when it opens this fall.

Adofo-Wilson described the ribbon cutting as surreal, noting the hurdles stakeholders needed to clear to make it to the monumental May event. “It’s a pleasure to see the culmination of our hard work finally realized. This project was a labor of love that would not have been possible without the diverse group of public-private partners who came together to breathe life back into this historic site,” he explained. “As one of Paterson’s most ambitious large-scale developments in many years, I’m incredibly excited about the future of this project for the city and the many lives that will be positively impacted by it.”

Adofo-Wilson said his ties to Hinchliffe run deep and that he is glad to see it return to its former glory. “This athletic facility once served as a thriving commercial corridor for the community before falling into disrepair decades ago. Hinchliffe was a gathering place for friends and family to meet up, celebrate cultural events and cheer on their local sports teams,” he explained. “And I’m pleased it will serve a similar purpose once again.”

The inaugural event at Hinchliffe paid tribute to its high school baseball past as Sayegh hosted the first “Mayor Andre Sayegh’s Silk City Baseball Classic,” featuring Paterson’s Eastside High School, Kennedy High School, and the Paterson Charter School for Science & Technology.

“There was a clamoring from members of our community that said, ‘Please, if anyone’s going to play first on the field, it’s got to be Eastside or Kennedy,’” said Sayegh.

The Jackals have since begun playing their slate of 54 scheduled home games in their inaugural season at Hinchliffe. The use of the stadium will be split between the Paterson Board of Education, which owns the venue, and the city — each getting 180 days a year allotted for events and programs.

“In 1995, I advised the Paterson Superintendent of Schools that Hinchliffe Stadium was no longer a place where our student athletes could safely compete and recommended that it be closed until conditions improved,” said Paterson Superintendent of Schools Eileen Shafer. “Hinchliffe Stadium reopening after all these years is a beautiful sight to behold. It is my hope that Hinchliffe Stadium remains, first and foremost, a facility that serves the students of Paterson and their families. I look forward to time-honored traditions like the Thanksgiving Classic football game returning to this beautiful historic landmark.”

Officials and developers note that the facility, which was designated a National Historic Landmark in March 2013, maintains much of its historic design and character, including its art deco exterior and classical, amphitheater-style horseshoe-shaped interior.

“We were able to safely preserve the architecture, design, and charm of the original stadium, including the perimeter walls that were erected more than 90 years ago,” said Bryan Verhasselt of RPM Development Group, who will serve as general manager of the newly created Hinchliffe District. “The bones of the stadium are all original, and we went through a painstaking process to ensure the facility was brought up to code, including the addition of modern ADA accommodations. I am so proud of all we have accomplished in a short period of time to preserve this local landmark and provide the Paterson community with a venue and gathering place it deserves.”

“Hinchliffe Stadium is a game-changer, and it is the real field of dreams,” said Sayegh. “To paraphrase arguably the most famous quote from that movie, ‘If you build it, they will come.’ We have built Hinchliffe Stadium back again. And we are here.”

Sayegh said the rebirth represents a proud moment for Paterson and for the country.

“As the mayor of Paterson, I am elated to welcome all residents to the historic Hinchliffe Stadium,” Sayegh wrote in the official program for the ribbon cutting and rebirth. “This iconic landmark, with its rich history and cultural significance, represents the very essence of our city. With its recent restoration, we invite all of you to join us in celebrating the past, present, and future of this incredible venue, and to enjoy the many events and activities it has to offer. We hope that you will join us in preserving this gem for generations to come.”

“Today is a day for Paterson, but I want to go deeper than that,” said Booker. “Look around you and you see a tribute to Paterson. Paterson’s past, Paterson’s pain, Paterson’s persistence, Paterson’s perseverance, Paterson’s promise, Paterson’s possibility, Paterson’s power, Paterson’s pride. This is a day for Paterson. But this is not a landmark for Paterson alone. This is not a state landmark. This is an American landmark. The whole country today can look to this point in Paterson and say, ‘Hallelujah.’”