Don Logan answers questions about Aviators’ Las Vegas Ballpark

He was holding court in the pristine first-base dugout at Las Vegas Ballpark that had yet to be littered by sunflower seed casings and defiled by tobacco juice when Aviators president Don Logan praised the team’s “Big Ass Fans.”

It had nothing to do with the effect new culinary delights at the ballpark concession stands will have on waistlines this season.

Logan nodded to the grandstand where giant ceiling fans would keep spectators cool — or at least cooler — on hot summer nights at the new $150 million Triple-A palace in downtown Summerlin.

“We’ve got Big Ass Fans — that’s what they’re called,” he said on Aviators’ media day.

Big Ass Fans, formerly known as the HVLS (High Volume, Low Speed) Fan Co., is based in Lexington, Kentucky. Its logo is a jackass with a wide behind. The oversized, oscillating fans were part of Logan’s response to a concern voiced as Las Vegas Ballpark, and the rebranded Las Vegas Aviators, prepared for their inaugural season without a misting system.

So in addition to everything else the new ballyard has to offer, was Logan saying it’ll also be cooler than the team’s former home at Cashman Field?

That’s exactly what he was saying.

“We’re 1,000 feet above Cashman out here and seven degrees cooler,” said the longtime executive and face of Las Vegas baseball, “so summer evenings aren’t going to be as hot. We’ve got the big fans, because all misters do is create humidity. And our mesh seats are 68 degrees cooler than a typical molded plastic seat.”

Logan was peppered with additional questions about the ballpark and new affiliation with the Oakland Athletics, which he fielded in the manner of ground balls that take a Sunday hop.

Q: We’ve heard about the upscale food and beverage offerings, all of which sound great. But why was Dollar Beer Night changed to Two Dollar Beer Night?

A: We were getting crushed on Dollar Beer Night. So it’s going to $2. It’s still the same size beer you were getting at Cashman. It’s just modern economics.

Q: Do you think baseball fans could use money saved on free parking at Las Vegas Ballpark to offset the price hike of discounted beer?

A: There. You said it. Free parking.

Q: Ticket prices seem a bit high for minor league baseball — most reserved seats are $15 (outfield) to $35 (home plate). Wasn’t the lowest-priced ticket at Cashman Field a lot cheaper?

A: It was $10, I think. Maybe $11. You can sit on the berm (at Las Vegas Ballpark) in right field for $12.

Q: What about fireworks?

A: We won’t have fireworks every Friday. I think we did nine (fireworks shows) last season. We’ll have one a month, plus a big show July 3. It’s not as easy to shoot off fireworks here because of where we are in relation to the freeway.

Q: Baseball fans in Henderson and Boulder City think it’s a long way to drive to Summerlin for a ballgame compared to downtown. Would you agree?

A: We’re gonna go to Timbers (in Henderson), and I’ll drive to Cashman Field. We’ll drive back, and then we’ll drive out here. I’ll show you it’s going to take seven minutes less to drive here than it does to Cashman.

Q: I see the new uniforms have an A’s patch on the sleeve. Will there be any more synergy — maybe throwback green and gold uniforms or something similar — to call attention to the new affiliation with the Athletics?

A: I think so. All of that is in play. They have a good team. People can follow the games on TV here, at least the ones that (have DirecTV and Dish Network), and with the Raiders moving here, there’s a connectivity (between Oakland and Las Vegas).

Q: There still are a lot of hard hats in the ballpark, a lot of dust, a lot of work still to be done. Will there be anything at the ballpark that won’t be ready for Opening Night?

A: Yeah. Me. I’m already tired. Everything else is going to be done.

Contact Ron Kantowski at rkantowski@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski on Twitter.