By: Ben Mook

As a side benefit to its May 27 purchase of StarTex Power, Constellation Energy Group is now the official naming sponsor of the Sugar Land Skeeters’ new minor league baseball stadium in Texas.

The Sugar Land City Council on Tuesday approved the name change of StarTex Power Field to Constellation Field, reflecting the change in ownership for Houston-based StarTex. Constellation agreed to buy StarTex Power, a retail electric provider with approximately 170,000 customers, in May for $142.5 million.

“Constellation’s merger with StarTex enhances an already strong partnership,” said Matt O’Brien, President of the Sugar Land Skeeters. “Adding more resources and community initiatives while maintaining local relationships will only bring greater good for Skeeters baseball and the entire Sugar Land community.”

The Skeeters, an expansion team debuting in April, will play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a minor league system not affiliated with Major League Baseball. The team will be the first in the league not located in the Mid-Atlantic. (The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of Waldorf and Lancaster (Pa.) Barnstormers are also in the league.)

According to the City of Sugar Land’s official history, the Houston-area city has, not surprisingly, had a long history of sugar refining. The city, incorporated in 1959, was originally owned by the government of Mexico which granted it to Stephen F. Austin, the founder of Anglo-American Texas and namesake of Austin, Texas.

Austin, in turn, granted the area to one Samuel M. Williams, largely, according to the city history, because Williams “spoke Spanish, was well educated and wrote a fine Spencerian hand.”

The $35 million Constellation Field is still under construction and is set to open in the spring. The facility includes 21 suites that have already sold out in addition to a picnic deck, playground facilities and premium club seating.

Constellation itself is being bought out by Chicago-based Exelon Corp. in a $7.9 billion all-stock deal. There was no immediate word if a further name change for the as-yet-unopened ball field is planned.