It has always been Tony Bonacci’s dream to own a baseball team, and in recent weeks his wish has become reality.

Bonacci, a Phoenix, Ariz., businessman, was recently selected as owner of the Longview-Kelso team that will compete in the West Coast League beginning in 2010.

“I’ve been involved in the amateur baseball world for awhile,” Bonacci said during a visit to Longview on Wednesday. “Getting involved in baseball as a business is something I’ve always wanted to do. The rise of leagues such as the West Coast League has given me an opportunity to do that in a geographic area I like.”

The WCL is an eight-team, wood-bat summer college league that features prospects from the Pac-10, Big West and other major conferences across the country. Some of the top players from the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) also compete in the league.

A new franchise in Klamath Falls, Ore., could begin play as soon as 2010, along with the Longview-Kelso team.

League president Ken Wilson praised Bonacci as having “the perfect combination of grassroots experience in baseball and success in business.”

Bonacci has a law degree in economics from the University of Notre Dame and is a graduate of Notre Dame Law School. He’s married with four children.

Bonacci, an attorney who is primarily involved in real estate investments, has never lived in the Pacific Northwest. But he became enamored with the region during a vacation several years ago.

“The climate is much nicer here than in the Phoenix area during the summer,” he said. “I like it and see myself spending time here with my family. I can hop on a plane for a two-hour flight, take an hour drive and I’m here.”

Collegiate baseball players from across the country compete each summer in the West Coast League, which currently has eight teams sprinkled throughout Washington, Oregon and Western Canada.

Teams play 48-game schedules in blocks of three-game series, beginning in June and finishing up in early August. Players live with host families and aren’t paid to play.

The franchise still needs to finalize a lease with Lower Columbia College for use of David Story Field, and the state attorney general also must approve the lease.

“I would like this to be a part of the social fabric of the community,” Bonacci said. “I want this to be a community-based team that’s part of what people do here during the summer. This is a brand of baseball and level of baseball that is attractive from the pure baseball sense.”

Numerous current and former Lower Columbia College baseball players, along with LCC pitching coach Rob Hippi, are listed on team rosters in the WCL. Hippi returns for his fourth season as pitching coach of the Wenatchee AppleSox, and is joined by current pitchers Michael Greene, Levi Dean and former LCC and current Hawaii Pacific University hurler Chad Wagner.

The WCL also has a mini-league with teams in the Portland area, which compete at the University of Portland and at Mount Hood College, and also features a number of current and former LCC players.

“The league has extremely talented college players who have realistic prospects and hopes of playing professionally, and they come together for summers to play in great settings with community support,” Bonacci said. “It’s part of the fun for them and the people who take part.”

During the 2008 season, the league’s total attendance was nearly 176,500 fans, up 30 percent from the previous season. On Tuesday, the Bend Elks opened their home schedule in front of the largest crowd in WCL history when 2,679 fans packed Vince Genna Stadium to watch them play the Bellingham Bells.

Story Field at LCC currently seats about 1,500 spectators. Additional modifications would be funded by Bonacci.

“The atmosphere is what you’d typically expect out of a minor league baseball franchise,” he said. “There will be a lot of promotions, fan involvement for adults and kids during the games, and a lot of good food.”

Bonacci declined to discuss ticket prices for the Longview-Kelso team, but typical prices across the league are $5 for general admission, $7 for budget reserved seating and $9 for premium reserved seats.

“This will be an affordable family product where you can take your family for a good night of entertainment,” he said.

Bonacci said a team general manager will be named soon, and a local office with a full-time staff will be established in the coming weeks.

The WCL will hold one of its regular-season games at David Story Field when the defending WCL champion Corvallis Knights play the Kitsap BlueJackets at 5:05 p.m. on July 19. Tickets are $6, and are available at the Red Lion Hotel, Athlete’s Corner, LCC and The Daily News.