DALLAS — If Dallas built a diamond for a minor league baseball team, would it become the new jewel of downtown?

The area around Farmers Market is one likely location for a ballpark; no one is saying just yet.

News 8 has obtained proposed details of the stadium—its size, cost and the construction timeline—from a group tied to the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball.

But now that group has competition from another baseball league that wants to step up to the plate.

It's been four decades since a Dallas minor league baseball team has taken the field against the Fort Worth Cats. Back then—when the Dallas Eagles would play their rival—the stadium would be filled.

"In the old days, we'd have to rope off the outfield and put fans on the warning track," said John Dittrich, the Cats' general manager. He thinks a new Dalas team could ignite a similar rivalry.

"I'm sure we'd sell out any game we'd play with Dallas," Dittrich said.

The Dallas ballpark would go downtown, possibly near the Farmers Market. It would be surrounded by residential and retail development.

Under a plan tied to the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, the double-decked stadium would have room for up to 7,500 fans, and there would be 30 luxury suites.

The estimated $35 million stadium would be built and paid for by the city.

Scott Berry, the man behind the proposed Dallas team, believes his plan will fly with City Hall. "I think, to use the adage from 'Field of Dreams,' I think they'll come... they'll most definitely come to baseball in downtown Dallas."

But the American Association now has competition. The United League says it will field a plan of its own to put a team in Dallas as part of an expansion plan to add two to four clubs to its Texas and Louisiana base.

United League CEO John Bryant, a former congressman, told News 8 his league is growing, and it wants to play in Dallas, too.

Despite the new competition, Scott Berry is confident. "When we get to the end of this process, I'm hopeful we'll have a stadium and be playing baseball in 2008 in downtown Dallas."

On Monday, the staffers will brief the City Council's Economic Development Committee on the stadium plans and the leagues involved. Committee members will indicate if the city is interested in playing ball.

E-mail cheinbaugh@wfaa.com