Grand Island, NE – The City of Grand Island selected Nemaha Sports Construction as the general contractor for a comprehensive renovation of Ryder Park, transforming the historic baseball facility into a modern venue designed to serve athletes, fans, and the community for years to come.
Nemaha completed the full artificial-turf field conversion with a state-of-the-art netting system, batting cage, new dugouts, upgraded sports lighting, and grandstand revitalization with new bleachers and seating. The renovations were completed ahead of the inaugural season of the Grand Island Fightin’ Cranes of the Diamond Baseball League.
Delivering the project on schedule required close coordination, detailed planning, and experienced field leadership. Nemaha Superintendent Boyd Crane, who has spent 26 years managing athletic facility construction projects, led the effort alongside Project Foreman Cain Haschke to ensure the facility was ready for competition this spring.
“Projects like Ryder Park are about more than construction,” said Boyd Crane, project superintendent for Nemaha Sports Construction. “You recognize pretty quickly how important this facility is to the Grand Island community. Our team took a lot of pride in delivering a venue that will support local athletics while also welcoming a new level of baseball to the city.”
As construction progressed, Nemaha’s crews saw firsthand the connection the community has to Ryder Park and the excitement surrounding the facility’s next chapter.
“Ryder Park has a strong history in Grand Island, and you could feel how much this project meant to people throughout the process,” said Cain Haschke, project foreman for Nemaha Sports Construction. “Seeing the community’s reaction as the project came together made the work especially rewarding for our team.”
The upgraded facility recently hosted a varsity triangular featuring Elkhorn North and Gretna East and is set to welcome fans again when the Fightin’ Cranes take the field for opening day on May 28 at 7 p.m.
About Nemaha Sports Construction
Nemaha Sports Construction is a Midwest-based design-build general contractor specializing in athletic facility construction for schools, municipalities, and communities. With expertise in synthetic turf systems, natural grass fields, track & field construction, and sports facility infrastructure, Nemaha delivers turnkey projects focused on quality craftsmanship, durability, safety, and long-term performance.
